The Rest of the Story
by Airam4u
Summary: Jack and Sam begin their lives with one another after President Jack Ryan changed the frat regs for them in Disclosure.
1. Prologue: Cordially Invited

Samantha J. Carter

And

Jonathan S. O'Neill

Will be United in Marriage

Saturday, October Eighteen,

Two Thousand and Eight

At Two Thirty in the Afternoon.

Academy Chapel

United States Air Force Academy

Colorado Springs, Colorado

The Honor of Your Presence is Requested

At this Joyous Occasion

George Hammond smiled widely as he read the invitation in his hands. The date of the wedding wasn't lost on him either. He was surprised that they had moved so fast, and gotten engaged after what was only a month. But then again, they would be married on their eleven year anniversary of sorts.

TBC

IT'S BACK! Are you excited?

So after putting this storyline to rest for awhile, I have become re-inspired and decided to write a sequel to "Disclosure." I started writing this stuff a few days ago, and I don't have much written beyond this, but there is an outline! And I couldn't wait to see what you thought, so I give you this teaser to welcome this storyline back to you all!


	2. Ready?

The Rest of the Story: Where the world begun in Disclosure continues. A place where the characters of Tom Clancy's novels surrounding Jack Ryan will occasionally reappear in the world of SG-1. 

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Stargate characters or concepts. I am merely borrowing them. I am also borrowing several characters from the Jack Ryan series by Tom Clancy (up through The Bear and the Dragon). I have the utmost respect for Mr. Clancy, so any mischaracterization of them is my fault. I am adding in a disclaimer for a few references to later chapters. I do not own the characters of Arrakis, they belong to Frank Herbert's Dune series.

Spoilers: For Stargate SG-1, all the way up through Season Seven and the first episodes of Season Eight where Jack takes over the SGC, from there we diverge. Jack Ryan Novels, up through and including The Bear and the Dragon.

Timeline: So I have taken a few liberties with this to combine the two worlds. Stargate timeline- this is about three and a half years after the end of season seven where President Hayes has been recently inaugurated. Jack Ryan timeline- this begins in the fall between Executive Orders and The Bear and the Dragon. One of the big liberties I have taken in combining the two worlds: President Hayes from Stargate is President Durling from Tom Clancy's novels. So in conclusion, Jack O'Neill has been head of the SGC for three years now, so it's been ten years since the beginning of the series. Jack Ryan has been President for about six months.

So using a chronology put together by Robert Miller (from clancyfaq com) I have come up with a modified timeline to help combine the two worlds and help make sense of ages and important events. I did bring the Jack Ryan world about a decade into the future. Here is a timeline of relevant dates:

Jan 2004 Hayes/Durling becomes POTUS. Jack O'Neill heads the SGC.  
Feb 2007 Jack Ryan becomes POTUS. Ages: Sally Ryan-15, Jack Ryan Jr.-11.5, Katie Ryan-2.5  
June/July 2007 Kyle Ryan is conceived  
July 2007 End of main conflict within Executive Orders  
July 2007 'Disclosure' (Sidenote, I guess I had Jack Ryan in a situation where he has decided to run but he hasn't announced it yet)  
Aug 2007 Jack Ryan announces running for POTUS. Andrea Price engaged to Pat O'Day  
Aug 2007 Jack O'Neill and Sam Carter get engaged  
Oct 18 2007 Wedding of the Century!  
Nov 2007 Presidential Election  
Jan 2008 Jack Ryan is inaugurated  
Mar 2008 Kyle Ryan is born  
Mar-April 2008 The Bear and The Dragon begins  
April-May 2008 Andrea Price learns she is pregnant  
June 2008 TBATD ends

Author's Note: As mentioned earlier, this is a continuation to a story I finished a month or so ago, Disclosure. In this story, Jack and Sam are together at long last thanks to Jack having friends in high places (ie the President and more importantly the First Lady!) I have a feeling this story isn't just going to be about them, it's going to be about the rest of the people in their lives as well. So we'll probably see some relationship stuff for other members of the SGC world. Primarily this will be a SG-1 story, but the Jack Ryan world will pop in every once in awhile.

I have a feeling that this is going to be a long story as it will cover multiple relationships and I see myself carrying this into the future for some relationships. Just a warning! (Even though I'm sure some of you are just giddy at that fact!) And another thing, updates to this story may not be often, I will try for once a week, so consider yourselves warned!

Once again, I will try my best to clearly distinguish Jack O'Neill and Jack Ryan. If I just use Jack, hopefully the context will be clear so you know which one I am referring to.

Also, if anyone has any ideas for a better title, send them my way. With the title I have so far all that comes to mind is Paul Harvey of radio fame!

I hope you enjoy this. Please send me any and all types of reviews (comments and critiques (but please no flames on the fact that this might be the world's longest intro/AN sections!)). Well, on with the story!

* * *

"SG-1 you have a go!" 

Lt. Colonel Samantha Carter looked back up at the control room above the SGC's gate room and smiled at her commanding officer. She held up her pinky and ring finger of her left hand and mouthed to him, "Two more weeks!"

He grinned even wider as he held up one finger, "Last mission!"

She nodded as she headed up the ramp with her teammates to explore another planet.

"Teal'c, aren't you uncomfortable?" Sam asked an hour later when she noticed that he didn't even appear to be sweating.

Teal'c paused and looked over at her, "In what way Colonel Carter?"

She waved her hands at the desert that surrounded them, "It's over a hundred degrees here! And you're hardly breaking a sweat!" She was down just wearing her tank top, but the forty pound pack on her back was not helping the situation at all.

Teal'c looked around as if noticing the surroundings for the first time. "I am not," he stated simply as he continued to monitor their area.

Sam glared at Teal'c and his modified genome. She shook her head as she headed over to Daniel who would hopefully commiserate with her. "How's it going Daniel?"

Daniel took his eyes off the obelisk he was studying, "Good! This is really fascinating! I think this was built to commemorate a revolution they had." He walked around the obelisk and pointed to the top, a few feet above eyelevel. "These two sides list the names, I think, of everyone that died in the revolution…"

He walked back over to stand in front of the side where Sam had found him. "And on this side it says that five thousand people lost their lives in overthrowing the ruler-"

"A Goa'uld?"

He shook his head as he brought a towel up to his face to wipe off the sweat. "No, I don't think so… They don't mention anything about ships or the Stargate… I think it was just some power hungry dictator named… Nechemezel."

"How do you know that?"

"Well this appears to be a cross of Sumerian and Aramaic… Anyways, I think there are about nine hundred names above surface here on these two faces. Which means that there are probably eighteen or so more feet of this obelisk below the surface," he explained to her excitedly.

Sam watched the excitement manifest itself on his face. "You want me to ask General O'Neill to send us subterranean radar equipment?"

He grinned happily, he loved working with Sam in charge because she understood how excited one could get with a new find. "Yes!"

Sam looked around their location. The only thing they could see other than sand was the obelisk they were standing next to. "Daniel, what are you expecting to find? And what can we do about it?"

"We might find a city buried under this sand," he began.

"And you want us to dig it out?" she asked him hoping that he wouldn't suggest such a thing.

He shrugged his shoulders, "I am an archaeolgist!"

"Right… Okay, I'll head back to the Stargate and have the General send us the equipment."

"Thank you Sam!"

She nodded and turned to leave. She had only taken a few steps when she stopped and turned back to her friend. "You know what he's going to say when he hears about this."

Daniel quirked an eyebrow. "I do?" He studied Sam as she indicated their surroundings. And then it dawned on him as his shoulders fell. "You're right… I'm never going to hear the end of it, am I?"

She shook her head sympathetically, "Probably not!"

Daniel muttered to himself as Sam walked away, "So not going to enjoy that!"

Twenty minutes later Sam reached the Stargate and dialed Earth. She waited for the connection and the transmission of her IDC before using her radio.

"Sir, it's Carter."

There was a pause before the reply, "What have you got Carter? Everything okay?" He was pretty sure that it was since there didn't seem to be any panic in her voice.

"Everything's fine, sir. Daniel just had a few requests he wanted me to pass along."

"Of course he does!"

Sam smiled without concern knowing that he couldn't see her face.

"Wipe that smile off your face Colonel!" he ordered through the radio.

"Yes sir," she laughed, he knew her too well. She then went about explaining Daniel's discovery and his requests for more specialized equipment.

"So let me get this straight… Daniel wants radar equipment to see if there's a city underneath that sand. And if there is, he wants us to send through equipment to help him unearth it? A city that may be under eighteen feet of sand? … What the hell? Does he think that planet's his very own sandbox?"

Sam grinned widely, she'd called it. "I'm sure he doesn't sir…"

She waited for him to proceed, "So do you think it's worth it?"

She automatically shrugged her shoulders before realizing it was a fruitless gesture. "It seems to be a purely archeologic study, sir… It is possible that we may find something buried under the sand."

"Yeah but who the hell wants to dig through that much sand?" he asked her over the radio.

"Daniel," she easily told him.

There was a pause as Jack considered the request. He decided that he needed more information to make an informed decision. "How long do you think it will take?"

"Well I think a preliminary study with the proper equipment could probably be done in under three hours-"

"So you'd be back tonight?" he asked her hopefully.

She chuckled, "Depends on what we find, sir."

"And if you do?" he asked her dreading the answer.

"Depends on how long it takes to get the equipment here and get it set up… Several days possibly."

Jack shook his head not accepting that answer, "Daniel had better not find anything! This mission was only supposed to last today and then you were going to have the rest of the week to finish up stuff in the lab!"

"I know sir, but we have to-"

"Our wedding's in two weeks!" he pointed out.

"Believe me, I know. But if we find something, you know we have to check it out… Besides you know that if we don't let Daniel check-"

"Play in his sandbox ismore like it," Jack interjected disappointed with the point she was trying to make.

She ignored his sarcastic remark, "this out he'll keep bugging you about it."

There was another pause. "Oh all right. Give us a couple of hours to get the stuff together."

"Yes sir."

A little over two hours later Teal'c and the MALP he escorted came into view as he reached the top of the sand dune that stood between the partially exposed obelisk and the Stargate.

"Here comes the equipment," Sam commented as she wiped more sweat from her forehead. "Why did we choose to come to this planet in the middle of this heat?"

"Because we never check the forecast!" he teased her. "Come on Sam it's not that bad!"

She glared at her friend.

He winced at the look he was getting, "Okay maybe it is, but the sun will be setting soon!" he pointed out hopefully.

"Daniel, have you ever been in a desert environment at night?"

Now it was Daniel's turn to stare at her with a raised eyebrow.

"Right… Never mind… At least you're used to this type of weather! I'm not," she admitted conceding that Daniel had lived in a similar environment for over a year while on Abydos.

TBC

That'll be all for awhile, so review to make sure you inspire me to put to words the ideas floating in my head!


	3. Set?

A/N: Here's the next chapter! As I said earlier, updates will be sparse, but I promise they will come! Thank you to everyone who reviewed the first two chapters of this story!

* * *

"Is it all set up?" Daniel anxiously asked Sam as she fiddled with a few knobs on the portable radar detector.

She hesitated answering as she aimed it at the submerged obelisk, "Just a sec…"

Daniel crossed his arms in front of his chest as he drummed his fingers and began to sigh heavily. He was about to speak when Sam spoke. "That's not going to make me go any faster," she told him absently.

He looked up and smiled sheepishly, "Sorry."

Without taking her attention from the machine in her hands she accepted his apology. "Okay… Now it's ready. Where do you want to start?"

He turned and lead her ten feet away from the obelisk and pointed back at it, "How tall is it?"

She aimed the detector at the obelisk as she watched the LED screen develop a scan of the area below the surface. "Uh… It looks like the base is… 36 feet below the surface?"

"What?" They were both shocked to hear the depth, which was fifty percent deeper than Daniel had predicted.

Sam looked up at Daniel, "That what it says… Are you sure about your calculations?"

He nodded as he checked his calculations again. "Yeah I checked them twice… They're right…"

"What about the translation?" Sam suggested.

Daniel looked up at the exposed tip of the obelisk. "It's possible that it doesn't say 5000…"

"Well how about we just continue with our survey first before checking that out again?"

Daniel accepted her suggestion as he jotted the depth down in his notebook.

Over the next hour Sam continued to aim the radar equipment in different directions in the surrounding area of the obelisk to develop an estimate of the hidden ruins.

"Sam, these ruins are intact," Daniel pointed out as he looked over her shoulder.

"Yeah… How big do you think it is?"

Daniel shrugged his shoulders. "Don't know… But, let's go find out," he suggested as they moved on to take random readings further and further from the obelisk.

"Have you discovered anything of importance, Daniel Jackson?" Teal'c asked an hour later.

Sam and Daniel looked up and eagerly nodded their heads. "It's not just a town buried under here, it's a city! … A really, really big one! If this is similar to ancient Sumerian cities, than there is a lot we have yet to discover. On Earth Uruk was one of the largest cities in ancient Sumeria - it was spread out over 5-6 square miles. Most were built with the center of the city, usually a ziggurat, at the highest level. The Sumerians designed their cities in concentric circles at different levels. The further you were from the center, the more steps necessary to reach the next level. Now we just recently found the next highest level. There are ten six inch steps separating the two levels… We still have a long way before we find the center of the city!" Daniel excitedly explained.

"Will that not take a long time using the equipment you are currently utilizing?" Teal'c pointed out.

"He's right," Sam admitted. She looked out over the expanse of desert around them and began to envision what would have once been a great city. "You know, I could probably modify a UAV to do a subterranean scan of this planet."

"Really?" Daniel asked her with the enthusiasm of a child in a candy store.

She nodded her head. She found that she was genuinely interested to learn the size of the city hidden beneath the sand.

"Yeah… I'll have to set it up from the SGC," she explained.

"Well then, what are we waiting for?" Daniel asked as he quickly closed his notebooks and began stuffing it into his pack.

General Jack O'Neill happily greeted them an hour later. "So how was playtime Daniel?"

Daniel rolled his eyes at his best friend as he reached the bottom of the ramp. Ignoring the comment he began to explain that they had found a lot, "Jack, we need to go back and make more extensive studies. The city that is buried under the sand is huge."

"He's right, sir. We were hoping you'd allow us to continue excavating the site."

"Why not just ask that over the radio?" he asked them as he led them to the infirmary.

"Sir, what little sampling we've done with the portable radar equipment indicates that the city could be ten miles wide. We were hoping that you would let me modify a UAV with similar equipment to do a study of the planet before returning to P5J-319."

He looked over at her warily, "You were hoping?"

She smiled, "Yes sir. I think it's pretty amazing what could be down there."

They reached the entry to the infirmary. "Yes well, we'll talk about that in an hour."

A little before their scheduled briefing, Sam made her way to Jack's office and knocked on the open door.

At the disturbance, Jack looked up and smiled when he saw that his fiancé was standing there. 'God I love the sound of that… And in two weeks you'll be saying wife!' he reminded himself. "Colonel, what can I do for you?" he motioned her into his office as he stood up.

"Well, sir…" she began as she closed the door and slowly turned to look at him and smiled at him seductively.

"Carter…?" he drawled out as he came up beside her. They stayed in the area right behind the door that led to the conference room, and out of sight of anyone who would pass through the conference room and look through the clear window into the General's office.

"Jack…"

"Sam…"

And by mutual agreement they closed the small distance that separated them and kissed.

"I missed you," Jack revealed as they finally pulled apart.

"I was only gone for seven hours," she teased him.

"I know… But I can still miss you can't I… Are you telling me that you didn't miss me?"

Sam shrugged her shoulders as she sat down in one of the chairs in his office. She kept her smile hidden from him.

But he knew better, "Yeah, that's what I thought!" He finally sat down in his own chair behind his desk.

"So what's up?" he asked as they got down to business. "I'm guessing you didn't just stop by to kiss me." Sam sheepishly smiled at him. "You're here to soften the blow aren't you?"

"Yeah… If the UAV survey turns up what we expect, we'll probably have to go back."

"For how long?"

She shrugged her shoulders, "Well I don't know how long the excavation will take… But I'll only stay there 'til the end of the week," she assured him.

"Good!"

She smiled back at his joy, "I may find this to be an interesting discovery, but I'd rather spend next week preparing for our wedding than digging around in that heat!"

"Why do you have to go beyond the initial survey? They're going to be digging," Jack pointed out. He loved spending as much time as possible near or around her. After ten years of skirting around the issue, he wanted to take advantage of their freedom as much as possible.

She nodded, "Yes, but we need to develop a way to remove the sand. The measurements we've taken so far indicate that it's buried under 36 feet of sand."

His eyes widened, "You're kidding?"

Sam tilted her head, "No."

"Wow… That's a lot of sand… Any idea how you're going to move it?" he asked her.

"Not yet. I'll probably have to talk to Daniel and Dr. Masters of SG-11. They're more experienced in that type of stuff."

"Probably involves a whole bunch of shovels…" Jack surmised. "Can't you come up with a better and quicker way?"

"Possibly… I could probably come up with a vacuum system of sorts…"

Jack's face glazed over as visions of Spaceballs came to mind and the droid, with Joan Rivers' voice, vacuuming the desert on the planet that they had crashed on. The only thing that brought him out of his recollection was when he realized that it never happened in the movie.

"Sir?" she warily called out to him across the desk.

He looked up, startled at her intrusion, "Huh?"

"You okay?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah…" He noticed that she still looked concerned for him and so decided to let her in on his little reverie, "I was just thinking of the movie Spaceballs."

Her face lit up as she immediately saw where he was going with that, "My favorite scene in that entire movie is when they're in that diner and the guy at the counter has an 'Alien' moment and that little monster comes out of his stomach and then starts doing a broadway tune!"

They both laughed at the image of the scene from the movie replayed in their memories. "I never would have taken you for one to like a Mel Brooks movie!" he finally added as their laughs died down.

"Oh yeah," she assured him. "Got to love those who mock the establishment," she informed him seriously.

"Hey then why do you give me so much crap about the Simpsons! It's a parody on life!"

"It's a cartoon."

"It's an adult cartoon! Have you ever sat down to watch an episode?"

She rolled her eyes as she nodded her head. "What? You've never seen an episode! We are definitely going to have to fix that!"

"I'm sure I can continue without ever seeing an episode," she assured him.

"No! It's not right that you've never seen an episode. That show is an icon of a generation," he tried to explain the merits of the show.

"Not either of ours," she pointed out.

He laughed at her remark, "Details! Fine, it's an icon of an era!"

"Great, so in a hundred years from now when they look back at our time period, the Simpsons will be the representative symbol of our time?"

He clapped his hands excitedly, "Exactly! How cool would that be?"

She snorted.

And that's when it came to her as she watched the locks of her hair move as the breath escaped her mouth. "That's it!"

"See, I knew I could convince you of my…" he shut up when she glared at him. "What?" he asked innocently.

"I think I may have an idea of how to move the sand in a much faster manner…" she began as she finalized the idea in her mind.

Jack eagerly awaited for her to reveal her plan. "And…?"

She began mumbling to herself as she checked the feasibility of such a plan. "If we take off the ordinance… And have it folded up… How do we get it through…? We could…"

"Carter?" he expectantly called out to her. He allowed her to continue with her musings before calling out with a little more authority, "Carter!"

She looked up at him, "Sir?", startled at his presence. She smiled sheepishly as she realized what she had been doing, "Sorry sir… But I think I might have an idea of how to clear the sand… There are still a few things I'd need to verify…" she began as her mind went back to figuring out those details.

"Don't leave me hanging," he told her as he brought her attention back to their conversation.

"I'd need to check the dimensions, but I think it might be possible to transport a CH-53E through the Stargate."

He stared at her silently. For a long few minutes.

"You want to transport a helicopter to another planet on the other side of the galaxy?"

"Yes sir. If we remove the ordinance on the sides of the helo and fold the rotors in it should fit through the Stargate."

He stared at her again.

"You want to take a helicopter through the Stargate?"

Sam's lips twitched with a smile, "Yes sir." She didn't understand why he was having a hard time accepting her idea, it wasn't her craziest one by any means!

"And how exactly would we get it down into the Gate room?"

She paused, "That's the part I'm still working on… But there are two possibilities…"

"And they are…?" he prompted her.

"We can lower it down the missile silo and angle it through the Stargate, I'll have to check the dimensions first… Or…" She looked at him and hesitated revealing the other idea she had come up with.

"Or…?"

"Or we lay the Stargate flat and lower the CH-53 through directly."

He motioned with his hands, "You want to put the Stargate on its side?"

She nodded slowly. "It all depends on what the survey turns up."

"Right… On that UAV survey you want me to authorize, which mind you, I haven't yet… Is it even worth it, digging out that city?"

"I don't know sir. But if we don't let Daniel attempt to uncover parts of that city he'll keep hounding you about it. And using the downdraft of one of those helos would be the fastest way to clear the sand."

Jack was about to make another comment when there was a knock at the door. "Come in!"

"Jack. We're… Oh hey Sam," Daniel smiled as he finally found the two people they had been waiting for so that they could have their debriefing.

Sam and Jack both stood up and followed him out into the conference room.

"So did you guys get to say hi?" he teased them.

"Shut up Daniel!" Jack told his friend as he sat down at his seat. "She came pretty close to convincing me to authorize your survey… So don't blow it!"

TBC


	4. Go!

A/N: Another chapter for the fans of this story! I'm going to be going on vacation next week and I have a lot of things I need to clear up before then, so I'm not sure if I'll be able to post another chapter in the next couple of weeks. Just thought I should warn you! 

Please review this chapter and tell me what you did or didn't like about it. Thanks.

* * *

"So what have we got?" 

Teal'c raised an eyebrow as Daniel turned to look at the base commander. Sam ignored his question as she continued to keep an eye on the monitors in front of her.

"What?" Jack was having a hard time understanding why two of his former teammates were giving him such odd looks.

"The UAV is still in transit," Daniel pointed out.

"Yeah… so?"

Daniel continued to stare at him for a few seconds trying to figure out whether or not he was trying to be difficult and facetious. Just before he reached a conclusion, Sam's voice rang out.

"The UAV has arrived at P5J-319… Initiating scanners…"

Daniel leaned over her shoulder to get a clear view of the incoming images.

Sam turned her head and stared at him. "Daniel."

"Yeah…" his attention was still on the monitor as he waited for the first image to come through.

"Daniel," she tried again.

Unsure why she was just calling his name, he stole a quick glance at her before returning to the monitor. He stared at the screen for several seconds before his mind processed that Sam was waiting for his attention. Daniel once again looked at his friend.

"We can't look at the scans in real time… Once we've completed a sweep of the area then I can run the data through the computer and build a model of what's buried under the sand."

Daniel smiled as he slowly stood up, "I knew that."

Sam shook her head as she turned back to the screen as she continued to monitor the UAV's flight path. "Yeah…"

The members of SG-1 continued to watch the screen that displayed the images from the UAV's camera.

Several minutes later Jack pointed at the screen, "Hey haven't we already seen that dune?"

He was so engrossed in the screen, that he didn't see several eye rolls that took place throughout the room. He did nudge Carter though as he said it, knowing that his comment would elicit a half smile or smirk from her.

After a while Jack got bored of the constant stream of sand dunes. "If we're not going to be able to get immediate results from the UAV, why are we standing around here?" Jack asked Teal'c and Daniel.

They both looked at him as if he had just said something profound. Teal'c turned to Daniel who wasn't sure either.

"Good question," Sam mouthed to Sergeant Walter Harriman.

Daniel finally offered an answer, "Isn't this what we always do?"

Jack nodded as he decided that that was as good an answer as any.

But as soon as he'd said that, Daniel realized how foolish their standing around and watching images of a desert was. He opened his mouth to say something but stopped himself. Instead he followed Teal'c's lead and turned around and left the control room.

"Well, Carter… It looks like you have things under control… So I'll just leave you to it… I'll be up in my office if you need any help," he said as he was starting up the stairs. "Don't even think it Carter!" he warned her without even looking back at her.

Once he was gone, Sam and Walter stared at each other and laughed.

A few hours later Daniel walked into Sam's lab. "Sam!"

Sam looked up and smiled before looking down at her watch and noting the time. "Hey Daniel." As he continued on into her lab, she sent a quick email to Jack:

Subject: Guess who's here!  
You owe me dinner!  
Love, Sam

"So any progress on reconstructing the data from the scanner?"

She stood up as she headed to one of the other computers in her lab, "Straight and to the point… It's running right now… It should probably finish in another few minutes if you want to wait," she offered.

"Sure. So how are the plans for the wedding going?"

Sam's face lit up at the opportunity to discuss her most recent favorite topic of late, "Great! Things are really coming together! I think the fact that we have put this together in under two months has really helped."

"Really?" Daniel was shocked, he would have thought it would be more stressful.

"Yeah, I know, I thought it was going to be a nightmare of sorts, but it hasn't been. We've both been waiting for this day for a long time, so we're not going to let anything ruin it. Since we only had two months to put it together we made our decisions quickly and didn't second guess or go back and forth with our decisions… So far it's worked out well!"

"I'm glad to hear that… Is there anything I can do to help?"

She considered his offer in silence. "Actually, there is one thing you could do for me and Jack…"

"What's that?"

Sam didn't have time to make her request when Jack walked into the lab. "Hey guys, what's up?"

Sam's face lit up as soon as he entered and walked over to stand next to her. She tried to hide her smile when he planted his hands on her workbench. She hoped that the cameras wouldn't see that his right hand was right next to her left and his thumb stroked her hand.

"Just waiting for the program to finish analyzing the results from the survey of P5J-319, sir."

Jack nodded his head as he looked around the room. "Fun… So what were you kids talking about?"

"The wedding."

Jack's face lit up as he remembered something, "That reminds me, guess who I got a call from."

Sam shrugged her shoulders as she randomly threw a name out to appease her fiancé, "I don't know… The President."

Jack flinched, "How'd you know?"

Sam's eyes widened, "Really?"

He nodded, "Well not Jack himself, but Agent Price called."

"Did you congratulate her on her engagement?" Sam asked him.

Jack opened his mouth and stopped mid breath as he closed it back up and looked down at his hands. "I forgot."

Sam placed her hand over his and quietly laughed, "It's okay. I doubt she was calling so you could congratulate her! So, what did she want?"

"She called to say that Jack and Cathy weren't going to make the wedding. But she did ask if we wouldn't mind if they came over to our little get together the next day before we left for the honeymoon."

Sam's eyebrows came together, "How did they know?"

"Hammond," he stated quickly.

She nodded knowingly. "So what did you say?"

"I told them to 'Come on Down!'", Jack waved an imaginary person down to the imaginary stage of Price is Right.

With impeccable timing, Sam's computer pinged signifying that the data reconstructing was complete.

Daniel quickly stepped beside Sam to look at the computer screen.

"So what's the verdict?"

Sam and Daniel looked at each other to make sure that they were in agreement with what they saw. Daniel's head shot up, "Jack we need to go back and uncover that city!"

Jack stared at Daniel who wasn't providing any more details. He then calmly looked to his 2IC, "Carter?"

"Sir, it's big," she assured him as she turned the computer screen over to him. Jack leaned over the table and supported his upper body on his forearms. "It's over seven miles wide. Its built as a fortress. The city has fortress walls every mile from the center. The Stargate itself is located in a small ring with it's own fortress wall surrounding it as a defensive measure, sir. And yet the most fascinating aspect of the buried city is that it is all intact."

"They aren't ruins, Jack… Which means that the city was probably buried under the sand shortly after it was abandoned, if that wasn't the cause itself."

"So?" Jack was still having a hard time figuring out why these two were so excited about this city.

The scientists looked at each other as they tried to come up with an argument for Jack's pleasure.

"And you guys want to remove forty-nine square miles of sand? … Why?"

"Jack we don't have to dig it all out, at least just the ziggurat in the center," Daniel pleaded.

"Did you get those other calculations together Carter?"

"Yes sir," she told him as she pulled out a note pad with her calculations. "We won't have to move the Stargate. We just have to angle it through the Stargate."

"And where exactly would we find a crew with security clearance?"

Sam smiled knowingly, "Actually sir…"

He tilted his head, "You're kidding me?"

"No sir. Desert Storm."

"Aah… Of course you did… The VP was right, is there anything other than knitting that you don't do?"

Sam smiled, "He told you about that?"

He nodded his head, "Yeah… When I went to brief the Joint Chiefs."

"Aaah."

"So is there anything you don't do?" he asked again.

Daniel who had been looking between his two friends finally threw in his thoughts, "Um, excuse me… But what are you guys talking about?"

"You didn't tell him?"

"I didn't want to get his hopes up," she explained.

"Makes sense Sam," Jack agreed.

Daniel waved his hand, "Hello! Still in the room and clueless!"

Jack turned to Daniel and explained the plan to him, "Tomorrow morning you guys are going to head back to your little sand box with SG teams 5, 8, 11 and a refueling crew from Nellis. Oh, and you'll be taking a helicopter through with you that our esteemed colleague, and my fiancé," he added proudly, "will fly and use to clear out the sand in a much faster way than shovels."

Daniel was shocked that they already had a plan in place.

"Want to go get some cake?" Jack asked as he held his arm out to Sam.

"I'll go for some jello," she told him as they stepped out of her lab and left Daniel alone in there.

They were halfway down the hall when they heard him call out, "Hey guys, wait up!"

* * *

"Sir?" 

The face that greeted Sam clearly showed his exhaustion. But the sight of her made a small smile reach his lips. "Hey," he called out softly as he motioned her into his office.

Sam was about to comment on his appearance but decided to get the business stuff out of the way. "I spoke with the guys upstairs, the camo netting over the silo opening is in place. Satellites will clearly notice the absence of the concrete covering, but they won't see us lowering the chopper down towards the Stargate."

Jack slowly nodded his head, "That's good… Everything else set up?"

"Yep, Siler and I have it all worked out to send the chopper through, it shouldn't be a problem."

"Good, good… Hey, how are we going to get that thing back through the Stargate?"

Sam smiled, "Actually sir, I was thinking that we could just transport it to the Alpha Site and store it there. That way if we ever need transport over short distances we can send it through the Stargate with a lot more ease."

"Sounds good, but how are we going to permanently requisition a chopper to the Alpha Site?" he asked her.

"Actually you already did it."

Jack's hand that was supporting his head collapsed to the table, "I did?"

"Yes sir."

"Really?" Sam nodded back at him. "When?"

"I believe Walter brought in a stack of papers for you to sign…"

"Is that what those were?" he asked her.

"Didn't you read them?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Look at all this paperwork on my desk!" he raised his arm over his desk. "Do you think I have time to read every single thing that comes across my desk? No," he answered for her. "Every day he comes in here and tells me that I need to sign some forms that need to be processed quickly and so I just put my John Hancock wherever he tells me to."

Sam smiled warmly at him. She then laughed quietly as an image popped into her head.

He glared at her not finding anything funny in his situation, "What's so funny Colonel?"

"He's our own Radar O'Reilly!"

Jack smiled and agreed with her wholeheartedly. "At least he's not a Klinger!"

"I doubt he would have cleared the security clearance if that were the case!"

Jack laughed as he envisioned Sergeant Walter Harriman walking into the control room in a polka dot dress, pillbox hat with veil, high heels and a matching purse!

A knock at his door pulled them from their musings, "Sir?"

Sam and Jack both burst into laughter when they saw the man in question waiting at the door.

He stared at them quizzically as he looked behind him to see what they were laughing at. Not seeing anything out of the ordinary he turned back to them, "Sir? Ma'am?"

Jack waved at him as he tried to bring himself under control, "Don't worry about it Walter. What do you need?"

Walter paused and continued to try and figure out what their private joke was. "Uh… Since Colonel Carter is going to be gone for a few days on their mission and Colonel Reynolds is on vacation, who are you going to appoint as Second in Command during their absence?"

Jack quickly stopped laughing as he turned to Sam for her opinion. "Any suggestions?"

"You have three options sir. Major Williams of SG-4, Major Stephens of SG-12 and Dr. Brightman."

"Those are my options?" Jack asked slightly disappointed at the prospects.

"Yes sir," she assured him. "Technically, Major Stephens is the most senior…"

Jack cut her off, "No, he just got here. He doesn't know the ropes and how I run things yet."

"They say nothing's better than trial by fire," Sam pointed out.

It was now Jack's turn to grimace. He considered her suggestion before turning to Walter, "Inform the base and Major Stephens that he will be acting as the base's second in command over the next few days."

Walter nodded as he turned to write up the memo, "Yes sir."

As he walked away he smiled. Ever since the President's Executive Order, working for General O'Neill had been less stressful and more enjoyable. Sam's effect on the General's life had definitely made his own life more relaxed. He realized though that it wasn't just the fact that Jack was happy, but that the dynamics of the base had also changed slightly. Jack equally considered input from Colonel Michael Reynolds and Sam who both freely offered their opinions. With the new Executive Order in place, Jack had clearly relaxed the atmosphere amongst his most senior officers in order to feel less like a desk jockey.

Sam turned back to the man sitting behind the desk and frowned, "You look beat."

Jack half smiled, "Thanks… Just what I wanted to hear."

She chuckled, "You need to go to your quarters and get some rest."

"Hey, isn't that my line?"

"Generally yes… But you need to get some rest."

"I would love nothing more than to go to sleep right now, but look at this stack of papers I need to get through!"

Sam nodded her head, "Yes that stack does look daunting… But who said anything about going to sleep right away?"

Jack's head shot up as he focused on the blond scientist across the desk. 'No check that… Woman!' he thought to himself when she winked at him.

"Sam?"

"Jack?"

This was definitely not a Sir or Carter situation.

"Are you suggesting what I think you are?"

She shrugged her shoulders, "All I have to say is that I'm going to be gone for the next few days and I would really love to spend tonight wrapped in my fiancé's arms."

A face splitting grin appeared on his face as he clapped his hands and stood up and raced around to Sam's side to escort her to his on-base quarters.

TBC


	5. Whoa

A/N: Surprise! I just had to get another chapter out for you before I left on vacation. To thank me, I think you should submit a review!

* * *

"Colonel!"

Sam looked up from the straps for her pack she was adjusting, "Sir."

Jack closed the distance to stand in front of her. "Walter tells me that you guys moved the helo through without any problems." He accepted a P-90 on her behalf from an airman as she continued to set her pack.

"Yes sir. SG-5 did a good job as the advance team and guiding the helo through on the other side…. What did General Hammond want?"

He handed her machine gun to her, "The usual… You know seeing how things are going and why we tasked a CH-53E to the Alpha Site."

Sam grimaced, she didn't think the paperwork would have made it up that high so fast. "What did you say?"

"That we could use it for mass transport over short distances and such."

"And what did he say about this mission?"

Jack chuckled, "Can you believe he didn't say anything about it!"

"Really?" she was shocked.

"Yeah, he told me that he was surprised that this was the first time we were going to dig up a temple for Daniel to play with."

"I'm not playing!" Daniel corrected as he walked into the Gate room.

Jack turned on his heels with a wide grin on his face, "Of course not Daniel." He turned back to Sam and mouthed to her, "He just wants to play in his sandbox!"

Sam tried not to laugh right in front of Daniel, but she was having a hard time as Jack continued teasing Daniel. "Never got to play in a sandbox as a child."

"Jack."

Jack turned back to his best friend, "Daniel."

"We're leaving now," he informed him as he started up the ramp.

"Yeah yeah…" He reached for Sam's hand and gave it a squeeze before she began up the ramp, "Be careful you guys and remember you three only get to play there for four days!" Despite the smile on his face, he looked at Teal'c with serious eyes and implored him to make sure that they stayed safe. Teal'c undertook the responsibility in silence with a nod to Jack.

Just before stepping through the event horizon Sam turned back to Jack and mouthed to him, "I'll see you in a few days. I love you."

He smiled back, "I love you!"

* * *

Two Days Later

"Anything exciting happen overnight?" Jack asked as he entered his office.

Major Brian Stephens, who had covered the night shift, quickly stood up upon recognizing the General's voice. "Sir."

Jack waved him down and to stay on that side of the desk as he sat in front of his own desk. As he sat he looked around, "Relax Major… You know, it's been awhile since I've sat on this side of that desk."

Brian began to rise and offer him his rightful chair, "Sir, if you-"

"No I like it over here… I had some great times when I used to sit on this side," Jack mused out loud as he recalled his first seven years with the SGC. Seven wonderful years where he wasn't stuck behind a desk and got to go out into the field all the time.

Brian wisely stayed quiet as he allowed the base CO to enjoy the memories that only he and the former CO were privy to.

When he was done, Jack looked at the man who now sat behind the desk and nodded his appreciation. "You want to go grab some breakfast?"

"Is the commissary even open at this hour, sir?"

Jack shook his head as he rose, "Nope. But I do have a key and I do make a good omelet… Though I can't make you my special recipe here," he informed him. Only Sam knew what the special ingredient of his 'special' omelet was.

"Breakfast sounds good sir, thank you."

They took a detour through the control room to inform Walter that they would be down in the commissary if their presence was needed.

"So how's the shift going?"

"Pretty quietly sir. SG-7 checked in."

Jack looked over at the man, "Yeah? What'd they say?" Jack actually had an idea of what they said. Before leaving, Sam had filled him in on SG-7's mission status of their trip to the Orbanian home world and that they would probably ask for an extension of their mission.

"They asked for an extension, sir. They said discussions with the Orbanians were going well, but slow because of all the recent advancements they'd made since our last visit."

"What'd you do?"

"I granted them the extension, sir," Brian confidently informed him.

Jack slowly nodded his head, "Reasons?"

"I asked Major Sellis for her honest opinion if they needed an extension."

"Did you think they wouldn't?"

He spoke quickly, "That's not it at all sir! Their lead scientist Dr. Keeters made the request. I just wanted to make sure that granting them an extension would be fruitful and not just the scientists indulging their fascination."

Jack nodded in agreement, liking the reasons he had put forth. "I agree with you assessment. Well, actually Carter would, and when it comes to scientific missions I pretty much defer to her."

"And rightly so, sir. She has a keen ability to keep both the science and the military aspects of situations in the forefront of her mind."

Jack nodded sagely, very few had been first hand witnesses to that more than the members of SG-1.

"Are you implying that I don't have a good grasp of the science?" Jack seriously asked his temporary 2IC.

Brian's eyes widened when he realized what he'd said and how it must have sounded. "Sir, I meant no disrespect. It-" He stopped though when he saw the grin on his CO's face.

"I'll be honest with you Stephens, I don't understand the science. That's why we keep Carter around. In fact the President and Vice President ordered me to never let her leave the program!"

Brian smiled cautiously as he debated asking a question that he'd had since he joined the SGC. "Sir do you mind me asking you a question?"

Jack nodded his head, "You want to know how we got the regs changed for the SGC?"

"Yes, sir."

"First of all, let me ask you something, and I'd like your honest opinion. What do you think of the regulations?"

"Honestly, they're very unorthodox, sir. I don't see how the base can operate effectively given the current regulations. Especially when you take into account the nature of our duty here, there's shouldn't be any room for personal feelings getting in the way."

Jack nodded his head, "And there shouldn't. But everyone on this base has proved that. We don't let the personal get in the way of protecting Earth and completing a mission… What do you think of me and my senior officer's and our interactions?"

"Its very relaxed sir."

"Do I treat any of them any differently?"

"No sir. Why would I think you would?"

Jack was shocked, he thought everyone knew about The Relationship on base and the upcoming wedding. "How long have you been with the SGC?"

Brian was taken aback, "Uh, three weeks sir."

"And you haven't heard?"

Brian looked around the empty kitchen, "Heard what sir?"

"Carter and I are engaged. We're getting married in eleven days."

Brian was shocked into silence.

"When the Stargate program was re-inaugurated almost eleven years ago, I was SG-1's team leader, Carter was my 2IC. We worked side by side for seven years, and we both developed feelings for each other. But we never let it affect our work, and believe me, we were tested. A few months ago, the President came for a visit. And staying true to Murphy's law, nothing went as planned. They saw how this base operated, what made us good at our jobs. That's why they changed the regs. Everyone at the SGC is a member of a family, we all look out for one another, but we always remember our duty. That's why we don't have an open bar for relationships." Jack paused as he considered how close he had come to losing Sam. But luckily for them, things had turned out okay. "It also doesn't hurt that the President and First Lady are old friends of mine," he added with a smile.

He was starting to understand, "No one here will betray that trust that is bestowed upon them by the rest of the world or one another."

"Exactly. That's why we got the change. We've shown that we can handle it."

"I hope I don't ever betray the trust you place on us."

Jack smiled, "I'm sure you won't. I got a good feeling about you… Just be honest with yourself and know your limitations."

"I'll remember that sir."

Jack nodded, "You do that! And breakfast is served!" Jack grabbed the two plates and led them to a table while Stephens got them some coffee.

He was heading to the table when Jack spoke again. "So tell me about-"

But he never heard the rest of the question as his CO was engulfed in a flash of white light. When the light dissipated he saw the empty space where his CO used to be. He dropped the cups in his hands as he raised his hand to the wall and hit the security alarm. He spoke into the intercom before racing up to the control room, "Security breach in the Commissary!"

"Sir what happened?" Harriman asked as soon as he arrived.

"I don't know, I was talking to the General and the next thing I know he's gone in a flash of white light!"

Harriman's face visibly relaxed.

The Major noticed the change, "This happens often?"

"Not too often… It's probably the Asgard sir. They've been known to beam General O'Neill in a similar manner on several occasions."

"Is there a protocol for this?" he asked, half hoping that there was one and half concerned that they would since it was such a common occurrence.

"Yes sir. We usually contact Colonel Drumman or Colonel Phillips, they work a few floors up at NORAD."

"Why?" he interrupted him.

"They've been informed of the Stargate program sir, and we usually go through them to task a satellite to scan for any ships."

"I thought the Asgard had cloaking abilities," he at least remembered that tidbit of information from a report.

"That's correct sir. But there's nothing we can really do until General O'Neill or Thor contacts us directly. This way we see if we can at least track them, sir."

"But essentially we just sit and wait than?"

He shrugged his shoulders, "Yes sir."

Brian looked at the Stargate as he made his decision, "Get me NORAD."

"Yes sir," he told him as he began to carry out the order. After a minute he handed the phone to the Major, "Colonel Phillips is on the line."

He nodded as he accepted the receiver. "Colonel, this is Major Brian Stephens from the SGC. I'm the Acting CO currently and-"

The man upstairs interrupted him, "Did you guys lose the General again?"

"Yes sir. We'd appreciate it-"

"Don't worry about, I'll get right on it Major."

"Thank you, sir. Is there anything we can do for you down here?"

"Actually there is, when was the General beamed up?"

There was a pause as Brian looked down at his watch, "Seven minutes ago, sir."

"Okay… Have you guys paged Colonel Carter?"

"No sir."

"You might want to do that. She's been working on a new program to detect cloaked ships. Now's as good a time as any to see if it works."

Brian covered the mouthpiece as he issued an order to Walter, "Get a hold of Colonel Carter." Once it was acknowledged and he saw the gate spinning to life, he returned to the phone, "I'll contact her right away, sir."

"Okay Major, have her call me if she's got the program for me to test."

"I'll do that sir. Thank you."

"I'll be in touch."

Brian replaced the receiver as the seventh chevron locked into the system. He waited a few seconds, "Do we have a line of communication established?"

"Just one second sir," he replied as his fingers typed at his computer. "Okay, we're connected sir."

"Thanks… This is Major Stephens from the SGC."

"It's Lt. Bates of SG-5, sir. What can we do for you?"

"Is Colonel Carter around?"

"I believe she's finishing up a run right now sir."

"Can you patch me through to her directly?"

There was a pause on the other end of the connection, "Go ahead sir."

Brian was hesitant, shocked to learn that he could be patched through to a helicopter that rapidly. "Colonel Carter?"

"Go ahead Major."

"Ma'am, we've had a situation here at the SGC. General O'Neill was beamed out of the commissary about ten minutes ago."

"The Asgard?" she asked calmly.

Brian was caught off guard by her calmness. "We believe so, ma'am. We've contacted Col. Phillips from NORAD. He's re-tasking the birds to search for any ships in orbit. He mentioned that you had a program you were working on, ma'am."

"Yeah, it's almost done."

"Ma'am would you mind heading back to finish and test it?" he asked her.

"I'm on my way back. ETA to Earth is… ten minutes."

"Copy that Colonel. We'll be waiting for you, ma'am."

"Roger. Carter out."

Twenty-five minutes later Sam entered the Control Room. "Major."

"Ma'am. How's the programming going?"

"Done, I just sent it upstairs."

"Already?" Brian was amazed, he knew she was smart, but… Wow!

"Yeah… Sergeant, are we getting the live data feed from the birds NORAD tasked to us?" she asked as she sat down next to him at one of the secondary consoles.

"Yes ma'am."

"Good…" she then went about scanning the output.

"Ma'am?"

Sam watched the screen for a few seconds before turning to Brian, "Yeah?"

"How does your program intend to find a cloaked ship?"

"I have a theory about how cloaking devices work. I believe that sensors on all sides of a ship capture images of their surroundings and then integrate them to create a hologram of sorts on the far side – thus making it invisible… What the program does is essentially try to triangulate images of the sky. We task two satellites to look at the same section of space. What it's looking for and analyzing is the fluctuation of a star's brightness. I believe that the cloaking device either has a delayed image presentation on the opposite side of the ship or that it transmits the image in near real time but without the detail of catching those fluctuations. The program I designed will compare the images from the two satellites and check for time delays in a star's shimmer or lack thereof."

Brian and Walter stared at her in amazement.

"Never in a- … Shit!" Brian muttered.

And for the second time that night a white light engulfed and snatched away a superior officer right before his very eyes.

TBC

Please review and let me know what you think.

And be honest, how many of you saw that one coming?


	6. Discreet

A/N: I'm back! But only for a bit. I finally got around to proofing this. Sidenote: shame on me and my readers who did not catch and point out the obvious grammatical errors in Ch. 5 (Still haven't fixed them yet...) 

You probably won't get anything before the end of the week, my plate with school and work is pretty full right now. So please do me a favor and review this chapter and help brighten my spirits as I embark on the hell of the next few days!

* * *

"Sir!"

Jack was seated atop an Asgard console. He was swaying his feet as he leaned forward and supported his upper body with his arms. The smirking grin on his face spread to Sam when she saw it.

"Hey!"

Sam walked over to him. "You should have called," she chastised him.

He jumped down from the console. "I was going to have Thor beam me down when we noticed that you were there," he explained as he pointed to the small alien who came out from behind another console.

Sam turned to Thor and acknowledged him, "Hi Thor."

"Greetings Colonel Carter."

By then she was standing in front of Jack, "And you decided to bring me up here... Why?"

The grin on his face grew even wider. "So I could do this," he told her just before he wrapped his arms around her and captured her lips in a passionate kiss.

The couple was oblivious to the reaction of the short Asgard commander, a tilt of the head accompanied by several rapid blinks.

"I missed you," he whispered to her.

"I missed you too," she smiled back at him.

Their private reunion was interrupted by their 'abductor.' "O'Neill?"

The man in question spun around to address their ally, "Thor!"

"Am I correct to assume that you and Colonel Carter are involved in a sexual relationship?"

Jack coughed and sputtered as Sam obligingly slapped him on the back. "Wow! ... Thor, old buddy... Come on... We're close," his hands waved between himself and the alien, "but not that close!"

Sam smirked at his response as Thor turned to her for an answer. "We're getting married in eleven days, Thor."

She wasn't sure what the expression on his face was, but she was pretty sure it might have been the Asgard version of a smile.

"Congratulations to you both! I wish you both much happiness-"

"Thanks Thor," Jack beamed.

"-and many children," he told them in his serious voice.

Now it was Sam's turn to be shocked at his comments as she coughed.

Jack grinned as he helped Sam clear her breathing. "That's what I'm talking about. We could field our own starting line for hockey! I can see it now - the O'Neill Clan. They'll be famous in the hockey world." He raised his hands in the air as he pictured an imaginary headline.

She glared at him, "When you start carrying the babies for nine months then we'll talk about fielding a team."

His eyebrows came together, "Right..."

She nodded knowingly at him before turning back to Thor. "So, Thor, what brings you to Earth?"

"I have been contacted by one of the planets under my care. One of their scientists has informed me that an asteroid is on a collision course with their planet. They have neither the resources nor tools to avoid the impending destruction of their planet." He paused and left his request unspoken.

Jack looked to Sam and then back to Thor, "Yeah... And?"

Thor blinked, "We would like your assistance in helping them."

"Whoa, hang on a second! You didn't help us when an asteroid, which mind you was sent by the Goa'uld, was headed for Earth! Why are you going to help them?"

"Sir," she called out to him as she placed her hand on his arm.

He quickly turned to address her, "What? No, I think we have a right to know why they'll help them and not us?" He looked at Thor, "Well?"

"O'Neill, the Protected Planet's treaty forbids us from interfering in natural disasters such as this one. The Asgard cannot take direct action, but perhaps Earth could evacuate the planet's inhabitants."

Jack stuttered through his gaping mouth, "What? ... You want us to harbor an entire planet's inhabitants?"

"We do not expect you to give them sanctuary on Earth, but perhaps take them to another planet similar to their current homeworld."

"Why should we help? You guys owe us several big," he spread his arms wide for added emphasis, "favors!"

Sam tried again, "Sir."

There was a pause before Thor played his trump card, "K'Tau."

General O'Neill shook his head in confusion, "What?"

Sam came to stand in front of him. "Sir, we have to help them."

"Why?"

"Two reasons," she began, "One: K'Tau was the planet with the collapsing sun that we initiated." She knowingly looked over at the small alien, "We didn't save them, the Asgard did."

Jack glared at her as he relented and nodded his head as he remembered the mission.

"And two: It's the right thing to do."

He squinted at her. "You're starting to sound like Daniel." He quickly placed his hands on her shoulders to calm her when he saw her about to interrupt. "Relax Carter! I know you've always been a humanitarian!"

The corners of her lips twitched as she tried not to smile.

As he watched her struggle, he couldn't help himself as he leaned in and planted a quick kiss on her lips. When he stood up again, he had a smug look on his face.

"Okay."

Sam and Thor exchanged looks, "Okay what?"

"Okay we'll help them."

Sam smiled openly.

"Thank you, O'Neill."

Thor stepped back behind a console and began moving stones around. "I am sending the coordinates to the planet Arrakis to the SGC. It will take me one of your days to reach Arrakis by ship. Once in orbit, I may be able to offer you assistance. But it must be discreet."

Jack interrupted, "Discreet. That's my middle name!"

Sam turned to him in disbelief with a raised eyebrow.

"What?"

But before either could speak again or get more information from Thor, they were engulfed in a flash of white light.

Seconds later they looked around and saw the business end of seven automatic rifles pointed at them.

Jack grinned and waved his hand, "Hey kids!" He looked up into the control room and nodded when he saw the relief on Stephens' face.

Brian leaned over the microphone, "Welcome back sir, ma'am."

* * *

"So when are Daniel and Teal'c heading back?" Jack asked without looking up as he continued to write out the incidence report for his disappearing act. Without his realizing it, he had become very efficient at filling out reports on time. Of course he had Harriman to thank for keeping him on task.

"Within the hour, sir," Sam informed him as she stepped into his office. "I also spoke with Nellis."

Jack finally looked up, "Yeah? What'd they say?"

"They don't appreciate us trying to take one of their chopper pilots. Major Davis has narrowed it down to between two men…" she slowly told him.

He quirked an eyebrow at her, "What? … I'm not going to like the options am I?"

She shrugged her shoulders, "I'm not sure…"

"Who are they?" he ordered her. He hated waiting.

Sam sat up straighter in her chair, "One is Captain Jason Bennet. He's currently doing an exchange program with the Army's 3rd Armored Cav Regiment to get rated on the Apache attack helicopter. He's trained in several helos, but his preference is the H-53."

Jack nodded his head, "Special ops."

"Yes sir. On paper, he looks very good."

"Sounds good," he agreed. "And the second one," he asked leery of the response because he knew he might not like this part.

"Uh… You actually know him quite well," she slowly began. She paused before continuing, "It's your clone," she finally managed.

He stared at her with a blank face.

Sam watched him and wondered if he'd even heard her. "Sir?"

He blinked as he re-entered the present. "I'm sorry, did you say that it was my clone?"

She nodded her head.

"How? He's barely 20, if that!"

"Yes sir… But then again, he is a smart guy."

He squinted at her as he waited for her to explain.

"Apparently your younger self has kept himself quite busy. He graduated college this past year, he took a whole bunch of college courses the one year he was at high school. Graduated early and went to college for a semester at the community college before transferring to UC-Boulder where he pursued a degree in mechanical engineering." She smiled at him.

"What?" he asked defensively. "Hey don't look at me."

"Yes, well once he turned 18 he signed up through ROTC. Graduated a second time with yet again a degree in mechanical engineering," she grinned even wider. "Once he finished basic training, he was put on the fast track for several different specialties. He got his pilot and chopper licenses while at Boulder, so he's been rushed through the training programs."

"Really?" Jack was shocked.

"Can you really be amazed Jack?"

His mouth twitched, "No… I guess not. I mean, he does have my brains," he added seriously.

Sam stifled a laugh. When she saw Jack glaring at her she wiped the smirk off her face, "Sorry, something must have gotten caught on the way down."

"Right," he nodded with a mock stern face. "What are his plans?"

"Eventually he wants to come back here. He's signed up for a Special Ops tour next… He's supposed to start in a few weeks."

"He'd hate to be tasked to the Alpha Site and baby-sit a helo."

"He probably would," she agreed.

"Okay then," Jack slapped his hands on his desk, "So Bennet it is."

She nodded her head. "Yes sir, I'll notify Major Davis."

Jack half heard her answer as he thought of his clone. Sensing that there was something on his mind, she waited around for him to open up. "Have you stayed in touch with him?" he finally asked.

Sam took a deep breath, "I sent him a graduation present when he finished UC-Boulder. That was the only time I contacted him."

His face lit up, "Really? What'd you get him?"

"Do you think we should tell him?"

He dipped his head and stared at her showing his displeasure at her changing the subject. He drew his words out when he did speak, "Tell him what?"

"About us?"

He leaned back in his chair as he pondered that dilemma.

"Wouldn't you want to know?"

"It nearly killed me when I found out you had accepted Pete's ring."

Sam's eyes went wide, "What?"

He smiled sheepishly at her, "Yeah…"

"Why didn't you ever say anything?"

He looked longingly at her and was grateful that he could do that now without fear of reprimand. "Because I couldn't promise you anything… Why did you call it off?" he asked her finally. "You never told us why…"

Sam looked away from him, she hadn't told anyone the real reason.

"Sam?"

"You know when I said the only time I contacted Jackson was when he graduated?"

He shook his head at her, "You're not changing the subject on me again," he warned her.

"I'm not," she explained defensively, "But I might have misled you… I ran into him four months after I said yes."

He watched her quietly as he swallowed the lump in the back of his throat. "What'd he say?" he asked her in a voice barely above a whisper.

She replied in the same voice, "What you were too afraid to tell me… He told me not to marry Pete, not for himself, but for you… He told me how you felt for me and that if you'd been allowed to retire you would have done it in a heartbeat and been at my door five minutes later with roses in your hand to ask me out."

Jack smiled at the daydream he had had often during the last few years. "I'm glad he did," he told her as he got up from his chair and came around his desk.

She stood up and stepped into his arms as she leaned in for a kiss, "Me too."

They looked into each other's eyes and came to a mutual agreement. They would notify Jackson O'Neill, and he would be happy for them. They couldn't lie to the man who had made things possible for their relationship to proceed.

"So you've known for over three years how I've felt about you?"

She smiled as she snuggled her head into his neck.

He rubbed her back as he smiled, "I knew when I kissed you."

Sam shook her head as she remembered the incident shortly after she had joined the SGC. They had traveled to The Land of Light where they had contracted a disease that made them act like cavemen. It had taken her a while to recover from the embarrassment of jumping her CO in the locker room.

Her eyes went wide as she realized what he'd said. She pulled back in order to look him, "What do you mean when you kissed me?"

His eyes bulged out, "Did I say that out loud?"

Her glare was his only answer.

"Come on, you know what I meant," he tried to laugh it off.

She wasn't buying it though, "When did you kiss me?"

He winced as he realized that he would have to tell her. He led her to the chair and kneeled in front of her, "Promise me that you won't be mad."

"What did you do?" she asked him sternly.

"Promise?"

"Jack?"

It was a warning that Jack heeded, "Do you remember that planet that created the time loops that Teal'c kept reliving? … Of course you do… Well in the last loop… The one before we stopped it of course… You have to understand that we knew we could do whatever we wanted without consequence."

Sam's eyes went wide.

He raised his hands to her shoulders, "No it wasn't anything like that! We mainly did fun stuff… You know played golf through the Stargate, rode my bike around the floors… turned in my resignation to Hammond and then kissed you," he quickly mumbled the last part.

He swallowed another lump as he waited for her reaction.

She slowly smiled at him.

Jack shook his head, shocked by her gentle reaction. "What?"

"After that incident you always looked at me with this look in your eyes as if you were happily reliving a private moment… Janet said something to me once and it made me wonder… I started to think that if I were in your position I would have kissed you…"

He grinned back at her, "Really?"

She nodded. "Show me."

He happily wrapped his arms around her and kissed her passionately as he dipped her. When they stopped she was still bent over backwards supported by her fiance's strong arms.

"Wow!"

He wagged his eyebrows at her, "Yeah… I'm sorry I never told you."

She shrugged her shoulders, "It's okay… I guess we're even on secrets for the day then."

"I-" Jack looked up and pulled Sam up with him as the base speaker system rang out with a resounding:

"Off-world gate activation!"

"That'll be Daniel," he told her as he led her away from his office and to the control room.

TBC

Hope you liked hearing the mention of Jackson O'Neill (clone)... He may appear in later chapters. And the talk about her calling it off with Pete came from a review from Disclosure. Someone asked me what happened with that relationship, and I ignored it in that story. But I here I found a way to have that relationship end and tie it into the story.


	7. Hello

"So how should we convince them that we want to help them?" Jack asked Daniel as they all walked into the Gate room. 

Daniel shrugged his shoulders, "Without having met them, I don't know how we should approach them… My guess is that we tell them Thor sent us."

Jack looked over at him, "That's it? That's your plan?"

"Do you have a better one?" he shot back.

He stared at his friend quickly before looking up to the control room and spinning his hand in a short circle, "Dial it up."

When they arrived on the other side they looked around and were unimpressed by their surroundings. "Are desert planets popular these days?"

His teammates all looked at him questioningly before heading away from the Stargate.

"What?" he asked them as he jogged to catch up with them.

Sam looked over at him, "You weren't at that last desert planet so you can't complain… sir."

He shrugged his shoulders in response as he walked beside Sam. "So where are we headed?"

Sam pointed to the looming rock wall that lay several miles away.

"Why?"

"Because it's the only structure in sight and only place where people might possibly live," she explained to him.

Jack nodded his head accepting her answer.

Fifteen minutes later Teal'c, who had taken point, stopped the group and pointed to the area just in front of the rock wall.

Jack pulled out his binoculars to see what Teal'c was pointing out.

"Greeting party," he told them as he passed the binoculars to Sam. "At least I hope."

Fifteen minutes later SG-1 was standing face to face with ten inhabitants of the planet. Both groups carried weapons but were not aggressive as they pointed their weapons to the ground.

"Daniel?" Jack implored.

Daniel nodded his head as he stepped forward removing his sunglasses and hat. "Hello… We are peaceful explorers from a planet called Earth. I am Daniel Jackson. That is General Jack O'Neill, Colonel Samantha Carter, and Teal'c." He pointed at his friends as he introduced them, each one acknowledging with their own greeting, a wave, a smile, and a head tilt, respectively. They waited for the other side to make a move.

The man who appeared to be the leader of the group looked at his men and then stared at the person in the rear.

Daniel noticed that the man in front waited for a signal from the last person before speaking. "May I inquire as to how you arrived here?"

Daniel answered for his team, "We came through the Stargate – the Chappa'ai." He began motioning with his hands when he didn't receive a sign of recognition on their faces. "It's the large open circular ring about a half hour walk back that way."

The eyes widened on all faces. Except of the person who remained in the rear. She watched the four strangers before them for several moments before stepping forward. "Why have you come here?"

It was then that the members of SG-1 realized that it was a woman. Daniel looked back at Jack wordlessly asking him if they should reveal their mission so early on.

Jack spoke for the group, "To be honest, we came to save your people."

The entire group, except the woman, stepped back.

Jack looked at his teammates wondering what he had said that had offended them so much. He pleaded with his teammates to mend the wounds.

"Why?"

Sam looked at Jack and Daniel and received their blessing to explain the situation to the woman. "Thor sent us."

The eyes of the men in the group widened even more. The woman who had stepped forward closed her eyes and lowered her head in what appeared to be a gesture of relief and thanksgiving.

Sam looked at Daniel who urged her to continue. "He asked us to help you and avoid the disaster that will befall your planet."

The woman stepped forward to stand in front of Sam, "Thor heard our pleas."

Sam smiled gently at the woman, "Yes."

She smiled back at Sam and then turned to her companions and smiled back at them reassuring them that all would be well. "Come, we have much to discuss… I am Chani of the Fremen. This is my father Stilgar…" She continued to introduce their party to the members of SG-1.

As they began walking towards the rock face they talked.

"Was it you who discovered the asteroid?"

Chani looked at Sam quizzically.

"Asteroid," Sam repeated as she began to explain it, "The large rock that is headed for your planet from outer space."

Chani nodded knowingly as she now understood the question, "Ah, you mean the petras. No, it was my husband Paul who discovered it."

"How long have you known of the petras?" Sam asked their guide.

"We have known of it for a week. We went to the temple two days ago…"

Daniel's attention was finally peaked, "Temple?"

"It is actually more like a sanctuary… But through it we are able to contact Thor…"

The members of SG-1 all looked at one another remembering their mission to Cimmeria.

"When do you suspect the petras will strike your planet?" Sam asked.

Chani paused and looked at their potential saviors, "It will strike Arrakis in eight days." She slowly looked at each of the strangers, "Can you really help us?"

Daniel answered, "We are going to do everything that we can."

She accepted their answer as they continued back to their city.

"How many people are there on Arrakis?"

Chani turned to Daniel and answered his question, "In our sietch, which is the largest, there are 175,000 people."

Jack let out a low whistle.

She continued giving them the statistics, "There are four other sietches on the planet, totaling another 80,000…. Is this a lot of people according to your planet's standards?"

Daniel shook his head, "No. Our planet has…" he turned to Sam supply the answer.

"24000 times as many people."

This caused their entire group to stop in their tracks as they tried to fathom such a world with so many people.

Stilgar finally spoke, "What is your planet like?"

Daniel grimaced as he tried to explain to them what Earth was like. "Let me ask you, is your entire planet like this?" he asked as he spread his arm across the horizon of sand.

"We believe so, yes. There are regions to the north and south to which no one has traveled and returned… It is very cold there," she warned them.

As Daniel and their hosts began talking about their respective planets Jack and Sam hung back to discuss their options.

"Can we pull this off?"

Sam looked over at her CO. "I don't know, sir. Depends on how willing they are to trust us and relocate them to another planet."

"Will it even be possible to mobilize that many people through the Stargate in seven days?"

"I'm not sure sir… It'll probably depend on the types of transportation that they have… It'll be close though sir." She quietly did the math in her head, "If we allow six days to transport them… We'd have to move almost 2000 people an hour twenty four hours a day…"

Jack stopped as he stared at her, "Really?"

Sam nodded.

Jack slowly began to walk again, "Wow! That's a lot…"

"Yes, sir."

"We don't even know where we can take them… Any thoughts?"

"Sir, none of our allies would be able to take in this many refugees…"

"So what do we do with them? We're supposed to help them, right?" he reminded Sam.

"Yes sir, but there's nothing that we can do with our technology. We can't bring any of our ships here in time and try what we did with Earth."

"So you have no ideas?" he verified.

Sam shook her head, "I didn't say that. I'm just not sure if one of them is viable or if you'll agree to it."

"What is it?"

"P5J-319."

He looked at her, "The planet we're excavating?"

"Yes sir."

He raised an eyebrow at her as he pondered her suggestion. He wasn't able to comment on it as the group stopped several meters in front of the base of the rock wall.

Looking around and not seeing anywhere to go, Jack spoke up, "What now?"

Stilgar pointed to a barely discernible stairway that climbed up the side of the cliff that led to a ledge thirty meters above the ground. "There is the entrance to our Sietch."

"What's it like?" Daniel asked as they began the climb up in single file.

Their hosts all smiled to themselves. "You must see if for yourself," one of them told him.

Once they reached the ledge they entered a dark winding tunnel illuminated periodically by torches. When they emerged on the other side of the tunnel after five minutes they understood what their hosts meant.

The sight before them caught their breaths. The rock wall they had emerged from completely surrounded a city made of tents. Not one rigid structure was visible throughout the organized city that was teeming with life. They looked down into a market place where they watched customers and vendors haggle over prices while children raced between stalls keeping themselves occupied.

As they proceeded further into the city they were amazed even more. While the inhabitants of this city appeared to be nomadic, there were signs of advanced technology – especially in their transportation vehicles that hovered above the ground.

They continued through the throngs of people as they headed towards the center of the city. When they were in the center they headed towards one of the rock walls and made their way into a large cavern.

"Where do you get all your food and textiles?" Daniel asked, amazed by the variety he saw in the city.

"We have caverns through out the interior face of the rock wall, there are underground rivers and pools that we are able to tap into," she explained to them as she walked ahead and entered a room off to the side and spoke to someone on the other side. "Paul… Thor has answered our prayers."

She stepped aside as a young man stepped out from the room to greet their guests. When he stepped out he stared oddly at their clothing and weapons. "You have come to help us?"

Daniel answered on behalf of his team, "We hope to." There was no sense promising them anything concrete.

The man nodded his head before addressing one of SG-1's escorts. "Gather the council." He then turned to and approached the strangers. "I am Paul Atreides."

Jack stepped forward and performed the introductions this time around. "A pleasure to meet ya," he happily greeted him.

"From where do you come?"

"We come from a planet called Earth… We arrived through the Stargate," Daniel briefly explained.

"They arrived through the Rosetten," Chani supplied.

Paul quickly looked over at his wife, shocked at the answer. "So it is a portal through the stars?"

Daniel smiled, "Yes. The Rosetten can connect two planets."

"Unbelievable…" Paul mumbled as he processed the implications of this new piece of information. "Can you relocate us to another planet?"

Jack, Daniel, and Sam all looked at each other and shared an unsure look. "Before speaking with your council, may we speak with you and Chani in private?"

Despite his concerns, Paul dismissed everyone else in the room so he could get some answers from their potential saviors. Once it was cleared, he repeated his question, "Will you relocate us to another planet?"

"That is our intention, however it depends on how willing your people are to trust us and how fast we can mobilize them," Sam began.

Paul nodded in understanding. "Yes that is a concern… We do not have much time to move them all… I believe that most of our people will be willing to move," he mused to himself.

Daniel looked at Sam surprised, "Really?"

Chani answered his question, "Everyone on Arrakis has been informed of the petras. We have already begun preparations of evacuation… And now that it seems our prayers have been answered, it will not have been time wasted."

"Where would your people have evacuated to?" Daniel questioned.

Paul and Chani shared a look and held their own wordless conversation. With a nod from Paul, Chani explained, "I have seen a vision of my people emerging from a Rosetten surrounded by a wall of stone… There is a pillar in the sky… and a structure as tall as the sietch wall in the center of this city with many stone walls surrounding it… It is a fortress that would protect us…"

All of SG-1 looked at each other amazed by her description of a planet where they would be safe. It couldn't be coincidence could it?

Chani watched them hopefully, "Have one of you seen a similar vision?"

"Uh… No," Daniel cautiously revealed as he looked to Jack and Sam for help on how to proceed.

"Chani," Sam began as she stepped forward. "We recently came upon a city that sounds similar to the one you described… It's abandoned."

Chani and Paul shared a relieved look with one another.

Sam continued before they got too excited, "The city is buried under 36 feet of sand." Their hosts stared at them quizzically. Sam looked around for a point of reference as she headed to Jack, "Six times his height. We're currently trying to dig out the main structure, the one as high as the sietch wall, but it's going to take us a while."

Paul nodded as he thought of the situation. "But we could live there?"

Jack answered, "We only have plans to dig out the ziggurat and let Daniel study it."

"So if we were able to dig out the rest of the fortress our people could live there?"

Jack looked to Sam and shrugged his shoulders, "I guess."

"We can't guarantee though that you'll be able to live there… We haven't found any readily available sources of water or animals."

Paul dismissed it, "The Fremen understand the desert and how to find life in it… We would not burden you with taking care of our people… Would your people take us there?"

Jack raised up a finger as he requested a minute with his team. "What do you guys think?"

Daniel spoke up first, "We have to help them any way we can… I think we could learn a lot from them and make an alliance that would be useful."

"What would we gain?"

"They have hovercraft technology, and who knows what else. And I'm sure we could work out a deal to use P5J-319 as an alternate site or a fall back position," Sam pointed out.

"So that's a yes?" Jack clarified.

Sam nodded her head, "Yes, sir."

"Okay," he clapped his hands before turning to Chani and Paul. "We can show you how to get there and we will try to help evacuate your people, but it'll have to be quick. There's a lot of people we'll have to mobilize."

Paul raised his hand and waved it back and forth. "Transporting our people through the Rosetten will not be a problem. We have many transport vehicles that are capable of transporting 400 people at a time."

"Yes, but will it fit through the Rosetten?"

Paul smiled, "Yes… Drivers often test their skills by skimming through it as fast as possible."

"Really?" Sam asked as she envisioned a train that didn't require tracks.

"Yes… We must propose your idea to our council but I believe that our people will become good friends."

Jack stepped forward to shake his hand, "To friendship."

TBC

Please review and let me know what you think of this story. I really do enjoy knowing what you think of my imagination!

A/N: The names of the people of Arrakis come from Frank Herbert's Dune Series.  This is not a crossover with those novels, I'm just borrowing their names and in the next chapter I make a reference to a situation that occurs in the novels, but it won't affect the understanding of anyone who has not read those novels.  Though they are good and I do recommend them!


	8. Can We Go Now?

A/N: We're back! Sorry about the long delay... I had another story in my mind that demanded to be written, another story demanding that I finally get around to posting it (For some God-forsaken reason, I once again have three unfinished stories out there), and a whole bunch of stuff do at work and school before exams. I actually had this chapter written a few weeks ago, but then I forgot how far along it was until I checked it tonight. 

It will be a while before I post to this again. In the mean time, send me a review to help me get over the writer's block I've been having :)

* * *

"Well that was a lot easier than I thought?" Jack pointed out as they retired to the quarters they had been allocated for the night.

"Yeah it was," Sam began to reply as she lowered herself onto the bed.

The next thing they knew, Sam was crashing to the floor of the Asgard ship as Thor had picked that moment to bring his friends on board for a status report.

"Ow!" Sam yelped.

"Greetings Colonel Carter and O'Neill. How are talks with the Fremen going?"

Jack turned to Sam and rolled his eyes, "Nice to see you too Thor. Yes, we were having a wonderful time on the planet, thanks for asking."

Thor stared at him blankly as he awaited the response to the question he'd asked.

Sam dusted herself off as she answered his question. "The talks went well. We are going to begin evacuating them to P5J-319 tomorrow morning."

Thor blinked, "I am glad to hear that."

"Thor, let me ask you something," Jack began.

"Yes, O'Neill?" Thor looked at him expectantly.

"Why was it so important for you to save them?"

Jack and Sam eagerly awaited his response.

"The Asgard believe that there are several inhabitants of Arrakis that hold the secret for the Asgard solving our reproduction problem."

"I thought you guys just cloned yourselves," Jack pointed out.

"Yes O'Neill, but we have limited our capacity to grow. We believe that given enough time several members of their community will develop the capacity to have the consciousness of an Asgard implanted into their minds. The Asgard would be able to grow and evolve as humans."

"You're talking about taking over their bodies."

"No, Colonel Carter. One day they will be able to take a few cells from one being and from that form a new life with the same memories of the original being. Once the Asgard have retaken human form, we can cease our cloning efforts and continue to reproduce sexually as well as maintain all the history of the Asgard."

"Wow…" Jack exclaimed. "Why can't you do that?"

"Because it requires the evolution of their species and their environment before the technique will be perfected and will not cause harm to an individual."

"If its specific for their species, then how can you use it?"

"Because once the proper conditions in their genetic makeup is found, we can modify our own DNA to have the same ability."

"Aah…" Jack was confused but tacked it up to nothing new.

"Where is the new planet to which you will be evacuating the Fremen?"

* * *

Two days later they were standing in front of the Stargate on Arrakis.

"Our people are greatly indebted to you."

Jack waved it off, "Think nothing of it Paul!"

"How could we? You are saving our entire civilization and taking us to another planet that you will allow us to call home!"

"Well yes…" Jack began, frustrated that the idiom wasn't understood. "It's just an expression."

Paul nodded, "Ah… What does it mean?"

Jack quirked an eyebrow. "Daniel!"

"Yes?"

"I need your translation skills," Jack explained to his friend.

"For what? We're speaking English," Daniel reminded him.

Jack shook his head, "Yes, I know that… But he doesn't understand the phrase 'Think nothing of it.'"

Daniel stared at him, "And?"

"And?" Jack was shocked at Daniel's denseness. "Explain it to him!" he ordered with arms flailing.

Jack frustratingly looked between Daniel and Paul waiting for someone to step up and explain the confusion.

Paul was the first one to crack a smile. He turned to Daniel and laughed, "You are correct, he does not really have a way with words!"

Jack's jaw opened as his eyes raced between both men. "Wait a minute! You… You understood!"

They both grinned widely at him.

He glared at them, "Whose idea was this?"

Both men remained silent.

"Mine!" Sam whispered as she came up behind him and wrapped her arms around him. "I don't want you to get rusty with your diplomatic skills."

While her chin rested over Jack's shoulder, she addressed Paul, "Paul, we'll see you in a few weeks."

He looked at her questioningly, "Will we not see you at our new home?"

Sam looked up at Jack who was still trying to express his hurt to her in his glare. "No… Jack and I are getting married in a week."

Paul smiled at them, "My congratulations to you both. The Fremen and I wish you all the happiness in your world."

"Thank you Paul."

"I did mean what I said, the Fremen are indebted to the Tau'ri. If there is anything we can do to help you…"

"Thank you Paul. I believe our friendship will be a benefit to many," Daniel said as he stepped forward to shake hands with their host of the past few days.

* * *

Jack leaned against the doorframe to Sam's lab quietly observing her work on another one of her doo-hickeys. He loved moments like this, where he could watch her without her knowledge. Admire her features. And the fact that he could now do that on base made it all that much better!

"You going to come in?" she called out as she continued to type at her computer. She snuck a quick peek up at him before focusing once again on her reports.

'So much for watching her without her knowing it…' Jack mused to himself as he finally stepped into the lab and walked up behind her. He gently placed his hands on her shoulders and began to slowly massage her muscles.

Sam felt like putty within seconds and stopped typing. As she leaned into his arms she closed her eyes and spoke, "You know, if you keep doing that, I'll never finish this report."

"So?" he asked as he leaned down and whispered into her ear.

She leaned her head against his, "…I can't leave for vacation until this report is done."

Jack snatched his hands back, "Well than hop to it woman! We've got places to go and things to do!"

Sam smiled as she tried to refocus on the temporarily abandoned report. "I'll only be a few more minutes."

Jack nodded as he went to sit in one of the other lab chairs. When he was seated he picked an object off her desk and began to examine it.

"If I'm not interrupted," she warned him.

Jack smiled cheekily at her as he put the doo-hickey back on her lab bench. Within less than a minute he was already fidgeting again.

Sam watched him and couldn't help but be amused at this grey-haired child that she was going to marry in a week. "Top drawer of my desk."

Jack snapped his attention to her, "What?"

"Top drawer of my desk," she repeated.

He stared at her momentarily before getting up and walking around her desk. He sat down in the chair before opening the drawer. He reached his hand in and pulled out a small gift-wrapped box.

"What is it?"

"A present," she told him plainly. "Go ahead open it… I was going to give it to you after our honeymoon, but…"

Jack was ripping off the wrapping paper by that point. He lifted the lid to the unmarked box and looked inside. A tender smile appeared on his face as he looked at the present inside. He gently reached in and pulled out his new prized possession – an original 1955 maple Duncan yo-yo and trick book. "It's beautiful."

Sam smiled at her fiancé, she knew words weren't needed.

Jack admired the yo-yo in his hands for a few moments before quickly unwinding the rope and sliding the rope over his finger and taking the yo-yo for a spin.

He was so engrossed in his new toy that Sam felt it was safe for her to return to her report. Fifteen interruption-free minutes later, she was done with the report and shutting down her computer. And Jack was still playing with his new yo-yo and learning new tricks from the book.

"Jack," she gently called out to him.

He looked up, startled. "Time to go?"

"Yeah, let's get out of here."

Jack jumped up from the chair and walked to Sam and began escorting her out of the room. As they were about to leave he leaned over and whispered, "Thank you."

She paused and looked deeply into his eyes. "I love you Jack."

And Jack did the only thing that was necessary. He leaned in and kissed her.

"So what do you want to do tonight?" he asked her as they rode up in the elevator.

She smiled at him suggestively, "I know what I'd like to do… But there's something we have to do."

Jack closed the distance between them as he stood in front of her, "Really?"

Rather than letting the sexual tension build up any more, she told him, "We have to go tell Jackson."

Jack's shoulders fell as he mumbled, "That's one way to kill a moment…"

"Jack, we have to tell him."

He sighed, "I know, I know… Since you're suggesting we go see him tonight, I take it he's stationed at Peterson."

"Temporarily, yes. He's there taking an advanced maneuvers course."

Forty-five minutes later they were pulling up to Peterson's central command post.

"I'd like to speak with General Riverson."

The airman tasked to the General looked at the man and woman standing in front of him and wasn't thoroughly impressed. He did wonder though how two individuals in civilian attire could get on base. "Do you have an appointment?"

"Nah… Just thought that Mark would be able to help me find someone."

"If you'd like, perhaps I can help you?"

"Actually, I'd rather speak with the General himself."

"Are you a personal friend of his?"

Jack smiled at the young man in front of him, "Yeah… Just tell him Jack O'Neill is here to see him." Behind him, Sam rolled her eyes. She felt bad for the unsuspecting airman who in a few short minutes was about to feel really – really – small.

The airman slowly nodded as he picked up the phone. "Sir, there's a Jack O'Neill here to see you. Would-"

The door to the General's office flung open, "Jack O'Neill! Where the hell you been?"

Both men embraced in a typical man hug with a lot of back-slapping.

"Around," he humbly told him.

"Heard you got your stars a few years ago" at that the airman balked as he realized how he had been acting insubordinately to a general. "And yet I haven't seen you once since then and we live in the same county!"

Jack chuckled, "Yeah… You know me… Working hard."

Sam snorted behind him. Her eyes widened when she felt the eyes of two general's on her. "Sorry, sirs."

"Carter," Jack warned her as they entered Riverson's office.

"Yes, sir," she replied seriously.

"She one of yours?" Mark asked.

Jack looked at Sam and winked, "You could say that… Mark, this is Colonel Samantha Carter, my second in command."

"Sir," she greeted him with outstretched hand.

"You the one who retrofitted the X-302?"

"I did work on it a bit, sir."

Mark nodded his head as he returned his attention back to his old friend, "So what brings you out here Jack?"

Jack looked at Sam before proceeding, "I'm looking for someone who's been temporarily assigned here."

"Who's that?" Mark asked them as he motioned them into the chairs across his desk.

"Lt. Jackson O'Neill… He's here for that advanced maneuvers course."

"Relative?"

Jack shrugged his shoulders, "Sort of… It's complicated."

Mark smiled, "What with you isn't complicated?"

Thirty minutes later they were walking into the flight hangar and waiting for Jackson to exit his flight debriefing.

A few minutes later a group of officer's walked out of the briefing room joking and laughing.

Sam and Jack watched the group and easily picked Jackson out. Despite being the youngest looking, he was definitely the leader of the pack and had earned the respect of his fellow pilots.

Jackson was in the middle of telling a humorous anecdote when he spotted the two people from his past and quickly sobered up.

"And what happened next?" one of his buddies asked.

Jackson looked back at his friends, "Hey I'll catch up with you guys later… I gotta go say hi to some folks."

"So we'll see you at O'Malley's?" one of them called out as Jackson walked determinedly over to the senior officers.

"Yeah," he called out without looking back over his shoulders.

Sam and Jack met him half way. "Hey," Jack called out after a few moments of an uncomfortable silence.

"Yeah, hey. Carter."

"How ya' doing Jackson?" she asked in the hopes of easing the tension.

A shrug of the shoulders was his response.

"Yeah… Well… You want to get out of here?"

They both nodded their heads in agreement as they quickly headed to Jack's truck.

"God I miss this truck," Jackson quietly whispered as he caught sight of the truck.

Sam looked over at him and smiled sadly at him. She couldn't imagine what life was like for him, having a fresh start but without the people you cared for most in the world.

"Mind if I drive?" Jackson surprised himself with his bold question.

Jack looked over at the young man – check that, younger version of himself. In that instant he felt bad for never staying in touch with Jackson. Through no fault of his own, he had the people of his life ripped away from him, while maintaining all the memories of an Air Force Colonel and forced to live life as a teenager and start over.

Jack tossed the keys to Jackson and smiled, "Just don't drive like we used to when we were that age!"

Jackson smiled as he snatched the keys out of the air. "What are you talking about? We weren't that bad of a driver… Now when we were in our mid-twenties and flying jets… That was bad!"

Fifteen minutes later they pulled into a driveway.

"This your place?"

Jackson stepped out of the truck and looked around the lot and house that was sitting on it. "Yep… Bought it when I turned 18."

"Really?" Jack asked.

"Yeah… I figured it'd be a good investment considering how I'll eventually be coming back here."

They nodded their understanding. "So how have things been?" they asked as they were led into the house.

"Good… Can't complain too much… What about you guys?"

Jack and Sam looked at one another and decided who should be the one to tell him.

"We're getting married this weekend."

Jackson looked at them. The smile on his lips was betrayed by the sadness and longing in his eyes. "That's good… I'm really happy for you guys… So, how…?"

"Jack Ryan."

Jackson's face lit up, "Really? How are they?"

Genuine smiles appeared, "Good… We told them about the SGC a few months ago."

Jackson's eyes nearly popped out of his head, "What? You're telling me that the President of the United States had no idea about the Stargate program until a few months ago?"

"Yeah…"

"Whoa… How'd that go when you told him?"

Jack smiled, "Hammond told him!"

Jackson laughed, "Whuz!"

"Hey watch it there buddy! You're talking to yourself here!"

After several hours of exchanging stories of their adventures in the intervening three years since their last meeting, Sam and Jack were finally leaving. Sam was already out the door while Jack hung back to share a few words with Jackson in private.

"You okay with this?"

Jackson smiled, and this time, the smile did reach his eyes. "Yeah, I am. She's ending up with you… that's what we always wanted."

"Yeah… By the way, thanks for telling her how we felt three years ago."

Jackson tipped his head, "No problem… Take good care of her," he added softly.

Jack looked at the man. "You know I will."

A smile graced Jackson's features. He definitely knew of no one better than himself to take care of Samantha Carter.

TBC

Remember to review!


	9. Really?

A/N: I'm back with this story! This story is hard to write, so it takes me awhile to write chapters and post them. But I promise this story will not be forgotten. This story is different from my others... It's about them having a life... Just reminding you...

* * *

"Let's go for a drive."

Sam looked up, "Huh?"

"Let's go for a drive Sam," he told her again as he grabbed their coats by the door and started holding hers out to her.

"The rehearsal dinner is in a few hours," she reminded him.

"Yeah, I know."

Sam stared at him as she slowly got up. "My dad wanted to go over a few final details of the wedding with us."

Jack waved it off as he began sliding the coat over her shoulders, "He won't mind."

She slid the jacket on and turned to face her fiancé, "Jack, what are you up to?"

A smile was his response, "Come on… Let's go."

Fifteen minutes later they drove into a nice residential neighborhood. "Jack, what are we doing here?"

He looked over and decided that he could tell her now. "Well… You know how we decided that you were going to move your stuff into my house?"

Sam slowly nodded her head, not quite seeing where this conversation was headed.

"Well, I was talking with Jacob one day… He told me what he wanted to get us for a wedding present."

Her eyes widened in shock.

"Yeah, I know," he smirked. "He thinks we should buy a new house together… You know, because we're starting a new life together."

She still stared at him in shock as she processed what he was saying. She didn't notice that Jack had pulled the car over and parked it in front of a house.

"So what do you say?"

"About buying a house together?"

Jack nodded and shrugged his shoulders.

Sam smiled at him as she leaned over and wrapped her arms around him and planted a short kiss on his lips. "I love it!"

Jack returned the kiss and then slowly turned her around and pointed at the house behind Sam's back, "So what do you say?"

For the second time that day, Sam was speechless. She stared at the two story brick and wood-sided home.

Amused with her silence, Jack got out of the car and ran around the car to open her door and show her the house. He held his hand out to her that she absently accepted as she stepped out of his truck.

She didn't move from her spot beside the truck as she continued to take in what she had heard in the last few minutes and what she was now standing in front of.

Jack let her stand there as he took a few steps towards the house, turned around and spread his arms out. "So?" he asked her, anxiously awaiting her response.

Sam blinked before her gaze fell on the man she loved and would spend the rest of her life with. A huge grin appeared on her face as she walked up to him. She placed her hands on his face and brought him in for a very deep and passionate kiss.

After a minute or so they both pulled away slightly to breathe, but their foreheads were still leaning against each other.

Sam whispered, "I hope the neighbors liked the show!"

Jack's face split into a wide grin, "Come on, let me show you the inside."

Over the next twenty minutes Jack gave Sam the grand tour of the house. He showed her the four bedrooms (accompanied by several eyebrow raises and winks), the spacious kitchen with new appliances, the living room with a fireplace, the room he had designated would be their office, the patio and expansive backyard, the two-car garage with work space, and the studio apartment above the garage that Cassie had apparently already claimed as hers.

"Does everyone know about this?" she asked with raised eyebrow.

Jack shrugged his shoulders, "Just the people who've helped me get this together."

Sam was about to ask who else knew about the house, but was prevented from asking when Jack initiated his own kiss.

"So what do you think?"

Sam looked around the living room once more, "I love it Jack!"

Jack could hardly contain his excitement, "So you want to buy it?"

She looked over at her man. "Yes I do… I want to start our family in this house."

"Excellent! … I hope you don't mind, but I've already started the paperwork."

Sam chuckled, "No… When will it be ours?"

"Monday morning… before our flight leaves," he stated proudly.

"What! How?"

Jack grinned at her. "I know a few people."

"Jack… How are we going to pay for this?"

Jack raised his hand to stop her questions. "Remember how I said your father started this whole thing when he talked to me about our wedding present? He wants to put the down payment on the house."

Sam's face softened at the kind gesture from her father.

Jack continued, "And we won't have a mortgage. I'm not done," he told her as he clamped his hand over her mouth. He eyed her to make sure that he had her full attention before continuing. "Now I did some checking, and with the equity we'd get from selling my house, and the amount we'd get from selling yours, which your father suggested, we'll have the entire house paid off and still have enough money to start our kids college tuition funds."

Sam listened to Jack tell her the plan as tears formed in her eyes.

"So what do you think?"

"I love you so much Jack!"

He winked at her, "I know!"

She shook her head as she looked around what would soon be their new home. "When did you do all this?"

"Oh you know… I little bit here and there…"

"My dad helped?" she asked him knowingly.

He shrugged his shoulders, "He may have had a part in it…"

"I can't believe this…"

Jack walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. "You can believe that we travel to different planets on a weekly basis, but you have a hard time believing that we are going to own a house… together… There is something seriously wrong with you Carter!"

She turned around in his arms, "Which begs the question, why are you marrying me?"

"Well you see… There were all these bets- Ow!" he yelped when Sam swatted his chest.

* * *

"Dad!"

Jacob Carter spun around and looked down the Chapel aisle and saw his daughter rapidly walking towards him with a huge grin on her face.

"Hey Sam," he held his arms out to her.

She hugged him tightly, "Thank you Dad, so much! It's beautiful!"

Jacob smiled, "I'm glad you like it."

"I love it Dad!"

"What's up pops?" Jack called out as he sauntered up to the pair.

Jacob released his tight hold on his daughter and half turned to the younger man with raised eyebrow. "Pops?"

"Gramps?" Jack tried again.

Jacob's eyes nearly bulged out of his face.

"Relax Jacob… not yet…" Jack began to feel uncomfortable under Jacob's unrelenting gaze. "How about I stick with dad?"

Jacob nodded his head, "You do that."

"Sam."

She quickly turned around and saw her brother and sister-in-law. "Mark, Stacy. When did you guys get in?"

Mark hugged his sister tightly, "A couple of hours ago. Dad took us to your place but you weren't there."

Sam smiled as she looked back at Jack and her father, "Yeah… We're buying a house."

"Congratulations Sam!" Stacy offered as she leaned in to hug her. "You ready for tomorrow?" she whispered.

Sam was never more sure of anything in her life, "Yeah!"

"So this is the guy?" Mark called out as Jack slowly made his way over to the siblings.

Jack, being himself, proudly raised his hand, "Yep! Mark, it's nice to meet you finally."

"Likewise…"

"Sam!" Cassie called out as she practically ran into the chapel followed by Daniel. "So did you like it?"

ooo

Mark watched the rehearsal from a few pews back with intense scrutiny. Even though he hadn't been overly close with his sister through out the years, he was still her older brother. He still wasn't too sure about Jack since he didn't really know him.

"She really does love him Mark."

Mark turned to his wife. He then looked back up at his sister and her fiancé. Jack was teasing his Best Man and it made Sam smile. A smile that reached down to her soul and made her entire being lighten up. He'd never seen her this happy.

"Yeah she does…" he added softly.

"He looks at her the way you look at me."

Mark turned to his wife and smiled, "And she looks at him the way you look at me!"

They looked tenderly at one another before leaning in for a gentle kiss. They returned their attention to the couple at the front of the chapel.

As Mark watched the ceremony he got to thinking of what had happened a few years earlier, how she'd almost married another man. A man he was now convinced, was wrong for her and couldn't offer her what this man could. He didn't know what it was that Jack could offer more, but he knew that there weren't secrets between them.

At that realization, Mark realized how something wasn't normal about this situation. How could his sister be marrying her CO? Weren't there regulations against that in the military?

He looked around for the man he'd been introduced to earlier. He saw him re-entering the chapel as he but his cell phone away. Mark got his attention and was pleased when he changed course to sit behind them.

"Yes?"

"General, can I ask you something?"

"Of course… What can I help you with?"

"I know my sister and Jack are really happy… But aren't there regulations against them being involved?"

General Hammond smiled. "Normally yes… The President granted an exception to the base where they both worked."

"What?"

"President Ryan is an old friend of Jack's…"

"Why would he give them an exception?" Mark asked.

Hammond looked up at the team in front of him. "Because for almost ten years they denied what they felt for their jobs," and for this planet, he mentally added.

"But that doesn't really-"

"Mark," Hammond stopped him. "I can't tell you anything, but believe me when I tell you that your sister and her friends up there have done a lot for this country and never asked for anything in return… You should be very proud of her… It was my honor and privilege to have worked with her for as long as we did."

Mark and Stacy looked at Sam's former CO. What was he saying?

TBC

A/N: I need your help! I can't decide whether or not Jack Ryan should allow for the spouses of SGC members to know of the Stargate, and in Sam's case-Mark and Stacy. Or maybe he'll just let Sam tell Mark and Stacy, you know to explain why Jacob won't age and will outlive them... Or maybe everyone outside of the SGC willcontinue to stay in the dark...I'd really like your input on this... What the majority of my reviewers say, I will do. If you don't review, you don't get a say.


	10. Memorable

A/N: Sorry it's been so long since I updated. One would think that once I finished up with classes for the year, that I would have more time to write... 

Also, at the end of the previous chapter I posed a question to you. I received an overwhelming response that made me think alot about what I'm going to do. I know what I'm going to now... But I'm not telling you! Thank you to everyone who did respond and let me know what they think would work best.

* * *

"Knock knock!" Jacob called out as he slowly and tentatively began to open the door to the Bride's preparation room. "Can I come in?"

"Yeah dad," was the calm and collected response. Sam turned from the mirrors she had been standing in front of. She looked at her father expectantly, waiting to see his response.

When Jacob stepped into the room he stared at his daughter in silence. Though he had known it for a long time, at this moment, he truly saw how much his daughter had blossomed into a beautiful woman.

"You're absolutely radiant," he whispered. "I wish…"

Sam smiled as she walked up to her father, "She is dad… She is."

Jacob smiled back at his little girl as he fought back the tears that glistened in his eyes. "I know she is sweetie…" He placed his hands on her forearms, "I'm so happy for you Sam."

Sam pulled her father into a hug. "Thanks Dad."

"There's something I need to give you…" Jacob reached into his tuxedo and withdrew an envelope. He flipped it over in his hands several times before handing it over. "Shortly after you were born, your mother wrote you a letter… She intended to give it to you on your wedding day."

Sam visibly flinched when she heard that it was from her mother. "What is it?"

"I honestly don't know."

"You've held onto it all this time?"

Jacob shrugged his shoulders.

"Thanks dad…" she told him as she slowly sat down. She knew she couldn't read the letter standing.

Jacob smiled tenderly, "I'll be back in fifteen minutes." As Jacob walked out he paused at the door and looked back and watched as Sam slowly opened the letter.

Back in the room, Sam pulled out the letter and unfolded it. She took a deep breath before she began to read the letter.

Samantha,  
Your father and I fell in love with you as soon as we held you for the first time. You are perfect in every way imaginable, and I sense that nothing will stop you from attaining what you want out of life. When you do read this, it will be on your wedding day. I wanted to give you a few words of wisdom from someone who has been happily married for six years and loves your father even more than when I first agreed to marry him. Love is such a strong emotion, so strong in fact that it can cloud our minds. But not our hearts. And that's what you can't forget, always listen to your heart. It will never lead you astray. Is your heart beating in rhythm with the man who is waiting for you at the front of the church? Does your heart hurt thinking that you won't be able to spend another day with him? Because if it does, then you have found your match.  
But marriage isn't easy. It takes time and effort. What I think is most important is a set of fresh eyes. Every morning when you wake up next to your husband, look at him and see him for who he really is. Fall in love with the man he is, not the man he was. People change – it's inevitable. But true love changes people in a way so that they love the changes that come about. True love brings true happiness to your soul. I wish for nothing more than that for you Samantha. Because when you have that love, not even the sky can stop you from reaching the stars.  
All my love and hope,  
Mom

ooo

"You ready Jack?"

Jack looked up from his fidgeting hands as he straightened his dress uniform for the hundredth time that morning. He smiled, "Yeah… You?"

"I've got the easy part… Though of course, I will be keeping an eye on you for a long time and making sure you keep Sam happy," he warned the younger man.

"Jacob…" Jack slowly began.

Jacob smiled, "I know Jack. Just take good care of her for me." Jacob walked up to him and grasped his hand.

Jack stared into his eyes and understood where the man was coming from. "Always… Hey Jacob… Thanks."

He quirked his head, "For what?"

Jack shrugged his shoulders, "For Sam, I guess."

Jacob smiled and nodded his head as he went to go get his daughter for their walk down the aisle.

ooo

"Do you have the rings?"

Daniel and Cassie stepped forward to offer the couple the rings.

Sam and Jack held each other's left hand with their own left hand as they accepted the rings and then turned to face one another as they prepared to make their vows.

"The Bride and Groom have both prepared their own wedding vows. Jack," the Chaplain prompted.

Jack smiled as he looked into Sam's eyes with his right hand holding the ring, poised to slide it onto her left hand.

"Sam. I stand before you today knowing that the best days lie ahead of me. When we met eleven years ago, I never thought I would enjoy life again, let alone love someone as much as I love you. I promise to you that I will always stand by your side and support you. I am yours for all eternity. I love you Sam."

Sam sniffled as she stared at Jack. She'd never heard him speak so eloquently or voice his feelings so publicly.

"Jack, do you take Sam to be your lawfully wedded wife?"

Jack stated proudly, "I do."

The Chaplain nodded before turning to Sam, "Sam?"

She took a deep breath before speaking. "Jack. There aren't enough words to tell you how much you mean to me. Words are not enough to express the love I have for you. That is how I know we were meant for each other. We have both known for a long time what lies in our hearts – Love. Nothing will stand between us. I promise you this: My heart and soul belong to you.'

"Sam, do you take Jack to be your lawfully wedded husband?"

"I do."

The Chaplain nodded to them both, not that they noticed as they continued to stare deeply into each other's eyes.

"By the power vested in me by the state of Colorado, I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride."

Without releasing their hands they wrapped their right arms around each other and shared a short but deep and passionate kiss.

Everyone in the pews erupted in applause and rose to their feet to greet the newly wedded couple as the Chaplain introduced them for the first time as a married couple.

Sam and Jack turned to their guests at the top of the steps and smiled, grateful that this day had finally come.

Before heading down the stairs and down the aisle they turned to each other.

"I love you Sam."

"I love you Jack.'

ooo

"I've known Jack for over twelve years," Daniel began his Best Man's speech, "And I've known Sam for eleven years. Now, being Jack's Best Man and best friend, and Sam being like a sister to me, I can say this: It's about damn time!"

Everyone associated with the SGC erupted in laughter.

Daniel smiled as he continued, "Seriously, I've worked alongside these two for eleven years. And it didn't take long to realize that there was something special about each of them. But circumstances prevented them from realizing, what their hearts and what everyone else already knew, how much they meant to each other. We all saw it when we saw Sam laugh at Jack's jokes and sarcasm, most of the time, she was the only one who got it. We noticed it when Jack would bring food to Sam when she was working on a research project. We saw it when they would both sit at each other's bedside when the other was sick. Just waiting for the other to wake up. Love isn't about words, it's about what is in your heart. And though they never spoke the words, their hearts always loved each other.

"And, so I'd like everyone to join me in making a toast to Sam and Jack. May your true love last for all eternity. To Sam and Jack."

"To Sam and Jack," the guests called out in union as they raised their glasses to the happy couple.

ooo

"Mind if I cut in?"

Jack and Sam turned to find a young 2nd Lieutenant standing next to them.

Jack smiled as he released his wife into the capable hands of the Lieutenant, "Not at all."

Sam smiled warmly at her new dancing partner. They danced in silence for a few bars before Sam finally brokered the silence, "I didn't think you were going to come."

He sent her a half smile. "I almost didn't," he finally admitted. "You look beautiful, Carter."

Once again, her heart went out to the man she was dancing with.

"Thank you Jackson… You don't look so bad yourself." As they slowly danced and moved around the floor, Sam looked down at his shoulder boards and thumbed his gold lieutenant's bar.

"I never did thank you for those… I really appreciate it… Your gift meant a lot to me…"

Sam shrugged, "I wish there was more we could have done for you… I can't imagine how hard it must be for you."

As Jackson twirled her about the room, he gazed deeply into her face as he committed every feature of her beautiful face to memory.

"I'm glad you two worked things out."

As Sam saw the hidden pain in his heart a part of her own heart broke. "Jackson… Are you going to be okay?"

He was about to give her a flippant response, but the look Sam gave him prevented him. She was staring into his soul and was really worried for him.

Silence engulfed the pair as they studied each other, catching glimpses into each other's true emotions.

"Jackson? Are you going to be okay?"

It sounded like a simple enough question, but Jackson knew Sam. He knew what she was really asking about. He briefly tore his gaze away from the deep blue of Sam's eyes and looked at some of the other dancing couples on the floor.

He smiled slightly as he caught sight of one pair. Sam noticed the change in expression and followed his gaze where she saw Sara and Greg dancing.

Jackson finally looked back at her, "I honestly don't know if I'm that lucky… I've already loved two women in my life… I don't know if I can move on again."

Sam closed her eyes briefly. When she opened them, they were glistening with tears, "Will you try?"

Jackson was about to give a sarcastic remark.

But Sam stopped him with a request, "For me?"

Jackson's world stopped at that moment. His breath and voice got caught in his throat, "Why?"

Sam barely heard him. "Because I want and need for you to be happy… Jack."

Jackson O'Neill closed his eyes as he let the memory of hearing Carter call him by his real name travel through his mind and imprint itself in his brain.

When he and the original Jack O'Neill had parted ways, he'd adopted the name Jackson. He had been adamant that people call him Jackson, and not Jack. That only reminded him more of who he used to be and all that he had had once. No one had directly called him Jack in over five years.

He only had a few reminders of his previous life: a picture of all of SG-1, a picture of Charlie, and an SGC patch. All of which he carried with him at all times, and all courtesy of Sam's college graduation present.

He opened his eyes and looked at the blue set of eyes he had once loved, and if he was honest with himself, still loved, despite his efforts. He nodded his head once. "I'll try… But it won't be easy."

Sam nodded her head, there wasn't anything she could say to ease his pain. She didn't know what it was like to try and forget some one you had loved but never had.

The song they had been dancing to came to a conclusion. Jackson began escorting her off the dance floor. When they were at the edge of the floor they turned to each other.

"Take care of yourself Jackson." Sam leaned in and planted a gentle kiss next to his lips.

Jackson closed his eyes as he felt her skin and then lips touch his face. "I will," he whispered. He then leaned back and gave her a small smile and nod, and then turned and walked away.

Sam watched him walk away. At the same time her husband was walking towards her and she smiled when she saw the tender and understanding look on his face.

He stood before her and grabbed a hold of her hands. Without a word he leaned in and kissed her before leading her to the dance floor while the song Blue Eyes by the Cary Brothers began to play.

Cause Blue Eyes   
You are all that I need   
Cause Blue Eyes   
You're the sweet to my mean.

TBC


	11. Visitors

A/N: I'm going to stop apologizing for not posting as often as I'd like - so please bear with me! I have so many ideas for this story and where I want to take it, that sometimes its hard to focus on just one chapter. But I promise you this, I will not leave this story unfinished! I hate it when I get into a story and then it never gets updated again, personally I don't know how an author can leave something unfinished! 

**Chapter 11 - Visitors**

"You guys been here long?"

Sam looked over at her husband and shook her head before turning to the agent who was holding the door open for them. "Ignore him and thank you."

"I was just wondering," Jack told her as he began to lead her into the house. As soon as they turned towards the living room Jack smiled. "Agent Price! So nice to see you again! By the way congratulations on your engagement!" He looked over at Sam and raised his eyebrows in pride for remembering this time.

"Thank you sir," she told him with a smile of her own. "Congratulations to you both."

"Thanks Andrea."

"Jack! We've been waiting for hours!" Daniel called out as he stepped out from the kitchen and into the living room to greet two of his closest friends. "Hell, Agent Price called me this morning to ask how they could get into your house!"

Jack laughed, "Turn the door knob!"

"Seriously, Jack, a general in the U.S. Air Force should at least lock his door and invest in a good watch! Congratulations Jack and Sam."

Jack and Sam walked up to the President and First Lady and greeted them with warm hugs.

"Why bother! And besides, the reason we're late is because we enjoyed a little too much Champaign in the suite. Thanks for the bottle Cathy," O'Neill told her as he leaned in to kiss her cheek in appreciation.

Cathy waved it off, "We're sorry we couldn't be there for the wedding, Daniel tells me that it was beautiful."

"It was ma'am," Sam said with a glowing smile as she remembered the evening.

"Sam?"

"Yes, ma'am?"

"How many times have I told you? When are you going to call me Cathy? I'd like to think that we're friends now!"

Sam chuckled, "We are ma'am… But, you're married to the President and-"

"Don't give me that. He's lucky to be married to me! The same way Jack over there is lucky to be married to you!" Cathy teased. "And you guys do owe me for pointing out your feelings to Jack," she tried.

Sam looked down, "And we are eternally grateful to you for that."

"See I've already meddled in your personal lives, that should put us on a first name basis."

Sam chuckled. She then got a bright idea as she saw her father, Teal'c, and Cassie enter. "I'll tell you what, ma'am. When Teal'c starts calling me 'Sam', I'll start calling you 'Cathy'."

Cathy smiled as she considered the easy plan, "That's it? Piece of cake." She then went off to go reason with the tall Jaffa.

Jack leaned over, "How long do you think she'll try to convince Teal'c?"

"Of what?" Jack Ryan asked as he leaned in as well.

"Of calling me Sam," Sam stated bluntly.

"It can't be that hard, besides, when Cathy gets an idea in her mind, she won't stop."

Jack O'Neill and Sam Carter looked at one another and smiled. Sam explained the situation to him, "Sir, Daniel and I have tried for over eleven years to get him to just call us by our first names. He still addresses me with rank and last name, and Daniel is always Daniel Jackson."

Ryan's eyebrow perked up, "Really?"

Jack and Sam nodded their heads.

"Sam, how's that husband of yours treating you so far?" Jacob asked as he and Cassie walked up to the trio.

"Just fine, Dad," she told him as she hugged him.

Jacob then turned to Jack O'Neill, who with a goofy smile on his face and arms outstretched called out, "Dad! And now it's really true!"

Jacob sighed, "Yes it is… Morning Jack." Jacob tried not to smile at the goofy general in front of him, but he couldn't help himself as he hugged his son-in-law in greeting.

"Cassie, Dad," Jack said with much enjoyment, "This is Jack Ryan. Jack, this is my father in law, Jacob Carter, and our god daughter, Cassandra Frasier."

Greetings were exchanged.

Jack Ryan leaned in close to Jacob, "So you're a…"

Everyone in the group smiled at the President's attempt at discretion. "It's okay, I know," Cassie revealed to the President.

He looked over at her in shock, "You know? What?"

She smirked, "I'm not from around here."

Jack Ryan analyzed the young woman in front of him.

Sam took it upon herself to explain, "She knows about the Stargate program."

"Really?" his gaze darted between the two women.

Cassie nodded her head, "When I'm said I'm not from around here, I really meant it."

Realization dawned on the President's face, "So you mean you're from…?" he raised his hand and pointed up.

"From Canada?" she asked sweetly.

Sam and Jack laughed at the long running joke.

"No. I'm from another planet. They found me on another planet and saved my life," she quickly summed up.

"Wow!"

"So you've been here since…?"

"Since I was about twelve."

"So how do you like it here?"

Cassie smiled, "I'm just like any other college senior, Mr. President."

"Really? What are you studying?"

"Physics, but I'm pre-med."

"You should talk to my wife, she's a physician you know?"

Cassie looked over to the petite woman who was engaged in a conversation with Teal'c. "I didn't know that."

"Let me introduce you. Cathy!"

Cathy briefly looked over at her husband, and motioned to him that she needed a few more moments.

"Are you applying for next fall?"

"Yes."

"And she has the audacity to apply to schools all over the country!" Jack added. "Does she want to go to UC-Boulder? Of course not!"

Ryan smiled as he watched the interaction. He envisioned himself saying similar things in a few years when Sally started applying to colleges. "Yeah, what do your parents say about that?"

The smiles that had been on the groups' faces all disappeared.

As soon as he saw the change in demeanor of those around him, he instantly regretted what he had dredged up. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to…" he began.

Cassie looked at him and sent him a soft smile, "It's okay. There's no way you could have known. I was the last survivor of my original planet… And my mom here died four years ago."

"I'm truly sorry for your loss."

"Jack," Cathy called out as she greeted the group. As she joined his side, she too could feel the tension in the small group. She looked awkwardly at those present before introducing herself, "Hi, I'm Cathy Ryan."

"Jacob Carter."

"Cassie Frasier."

"Cassie wants to be a doctor," her husband revealed as the reason why he had called her over.

"What field are you interested in?"

"Emergency medicine and internal medicine."

"Some pretty different fields there, you leaning one way or another?"

"I'm going to do both actually," Cassie told her confidently.

"What made you choose those fields?" Cathy inquired.

"It's the best preparation for working at the SGC… At least that's what my mom always said," she revealed with a gentle smile as she recalled the conversations she had had with her mother.

That's when it clicked in Cathy's mind. That's why the last name was familiar. Prior to her operation on Sam's eye, she had requested Sam's medical file to be prepared for any complication due to the naquada in her system. She had noticed that Dr. Janet Frasier had signed off on most of her file. When she had contacted the SGC's Dr. Brightman, she had asked to speak with Dr. Frasier. And that's when they had told her what had happened to the previous CMO, that she had died in the line of fire while saving someone's life off-world.

And this was her daughter.

She nodded slowly before asking her next question, "So where do you plan on applying to?"

"I'm actually doing interviews with some med schools now. Most of them are on the East Coast."

"Did you apply to Johns Hopkins?" Cathy asked with piqued interest.

"I have an interview there at the end of the week."

"What's your top choice?" she asked, not wanting to show her connections just yet.

"Hopkins actually."

Cathy smiled, "Really? Why?"

Cassie spoke with confidence in her decision, "They're consistently ranked in the top five best med schools, they have a low student to faculty ratio, the opportunity to do research, and I sort of have family in the area."

Jack Ryan did a double take, "You do?"

She smiled. "General Hammond," she explained. "Next to SG-1, he's one of the closest people to me."

Cathy nodded in understanding. She had heard about the close bond between the previous CMO and SG-1, and naturally it had carried over to her daughter.

"Do you want me to put in a good word for you?"

Cassie blinked, "Excuse me?"

Cathy looked at those around her before revealing her secret. "I work at Hopkins. I'm an ophthalmologist, and Dr. Ed Miller and I are old friends."

"You could put in a good word for me?" Cassie asked excitedly.

"Won't be a problem," Cathy assured her.

"I would really appreciate that!" She turned to the woman who had stepped in as a mother on numerous occasions. "Sam I have a shot!"

Sam chuckled at her friend, "Don't just count on her word. You still have to impress them in the interviews."

Jack O'Neill waved it off, "Of course she will! She learned all about diplomacy and tact and making good first impressions from me."

Everyone in the small group turned to look at him seriously. O'Neill raised an eyebrow in mock confusion. Silently, everyone turned away from him and went to go carry on their conversations.

"Hey!"

After several hours of exchanging stories and an enjoyable late brunch, the President pulled his wife aside.

"I'm glad you did changed the rules for them."

Jack sent her a soft smile, "Me too. They really were meant for each other."

"Yes they were," she agreed confidently. "They have a wonderful family."

"An interesting group, a family most definitely… Did you know that Cassie's from another planet?"

"What? Really? I thought she was the previous CMO's daughter."

He nodded, "Adopted daughter. SG-1 found her after everyone on her planet had been killed."

"That poor thing…" Cathy looked out towards the rest of the group and her gaze fell on the young woman who happily laughed at one of Jack O'Neill's comments. "My God… She's lost two mothers… Poor thing!"

Jack also watched her, "I don't know how, but she doesn't feel that way… She seems like an amazing woman."

"She deserves getting into Johns Hopkins… She's going to make an excellent doctor one day."

"How can you tell?" he looked at her.

Cathy thought of her response, "Despite everything she's been through, she wants to help people heal… She's very compassionate."

Wordlessly, they both agreed to rejoin the group in front of them.

"Sam, I do not believe that to be a wise course of action."

Silence fell across the room as most eyes in the room turned to look at the tall Jaffa in shock. He just looked back at them as if nothing out of the ordinary had occurred.

Sam blinked hard and then turned to the First Lady who was grinning widely at her.

She blinked again, "How did you…?"

Cathy smiled as she explained, "Never underestimate the powers of persuasion of a doctor."

Sam looked back at Teal'c and then back to the First Lady. She shook her head in amazement before smiling at the First Lady, "At least not yours… Cathy."

TBC

Please let me know what you thought of this installment.


	12. Wow!

Author's Notes: I admit... I am evil... I have gone almost an entire year without updating this story. And for that I truly apologize! The past year hasn't allowed me much time to write. But when I have been writing it's been for a story that will be the fourth installment of this series and will actually be a crossover with Battlestar Galactica (damn that is a good show!). Nevermind that I haven't finished the second installment in my created AU, or only have a rough outline of the third installment, but I do have a 100 or so pages of the fourth installment! I'm actually quite pleased with what I've got going in that fourth installment that I may actually start wrapping this story up (you know... in like 20 or so chapters... :) and force myself to write the third installment so that I can post the fourth installment.

Anyways, on the story...

* * *

**Chapter 12 – Wow!**

"Ma'am will you come with me?"

Cassie looked up from her purse that she was digging through. "Excuse me?" she asked as she looked around.

"Someone would like to speak with you," he explained as if it was obvious.

"Who? I have to leave soon." She looked out the main lobby doors hoping that she would see her ride show up.

"The First Lady. General Hammond has been notified of the change of plans and will be meeting us back at the House."

Cassie blinked as she stared at the man. She then noticed the small chord connected to the earpiece he was wearing, he was Secret Service. "Yes, of course." She followed the Agent through the hospital to the Ophthalmology Department.

The Agent knocked on the door, waited for a response and then opened the door and let Cassie pass. "Thank you," she whispered as she passed the Agent. "Ma'am."

Cathy rolled her eyes as she stood up to greet the young woman. "So how do you think you did?" she asked with excitement.

Cassie smiled, "I think it went well! I really hope I get in!"

Cathy smiled, "Well, I shouldn't be telling you this… But from the people I spoke with, you don't have anything to worry about."

Cassie blinked. "Really?" she asked with bated excitement.

She nodded her head excitedly. "They were all very impressed!"

"Oh my God! I have to call someone!" She looked down at her bag and started rummaging around in it trying to find her elusive cell phone. She finally pulled it out in triumph as she turned it on. Cassie looked up and remembered that she was in the presence of the First Lady. "I'm so sorry I-"

"Don't worry about! Go ahead call who ever you want, I'll go wait outside," she then made to the leave.

At that Cassie stopped her, "This is your office, I'll step out. Besides this may take awhile!"

Cathy acquiesced, "Okay. By the way, I'd like to invite you to dinner. I've also invited General Hammond. Call it a celebratory dinner!" she winked.

"Thank you so much, ma'am. I really do appreciate everything you've done."

Cathy waved it off, "I didn't do anything. You impressed them all on your own."

* * *

"You ready to be home?" Jack asked as they walked out to the airport curb to look for their ride. 

"Home with you? Yes! To go to work the day after tomorrow? No."

Jack turned to his wife, "Really? I never thought I'd hear the day where Samantha Carter wouldn't want to go into work!" He sent her a wide smile that was interrupted by a car pulling up in front of them. "There's our ride."

"Thank God! I'm so tired! I just want to crawl into bed and sleep."

Jack looked back at her as he began to lead their luggage to the trunk of Cassie's car, "Sleep? Or something else?" he added with a suggestive eyebrow raise.

An hour later, Cassie stopped her car in front of their final destination. In the back of her car, Jack and Sam were asleep. She looked back at them and smiled tenderly, before she gently tapped Jack to wake him.

"We're here," she whispered.

Jack opened his eyes as he tried to get his bearings, "We are?" When he looked out the window he didn't immediately recognize their surroundings. The confusion was immediately evident on his face, "Wha…?"

Cassie silently laughed as she took in his expression. "Consider this our wedding present to you."

Jack blinked as he looked at Cassie and then looked to the front door where he saw Daniel, Teal'c, and Jacob emerging from their house.

That's when it hit him. They were parked right in front of their new home, the one that they had closed on less than a week earlier. "What did you guys do?"

Cassie smirked as Sam began to move around in Jack's arms. "Wake up, Sam. We're home."

Sam slowly opened her eyes and then looked up at Jack and quickly gave him a kiss before turning to Cassie. "Thanks for bringing us- What are we doing here?" she asked as she sat up and really took in her surroundings.

"Home," Cassie casually stated as she stepped out of the car and joined her co-conspirators in front of the house.

Sam and Jack looked at each other, both surprised by their location. "Did you know about this?"

Jack looked at their house and then back at Sam, "I have no idea what we are doing here… Let's go find out."

He opened the door, stepped out and looked around briefly before turning back to the car and helped Sam out of the car. They slowly began their way up to the front door and the welcoming committee. "What do you think they did?" Jack asked as he leaned over.

"I have no idea… Hey guys!" she happily called out.

They greeted each other with varying degrees of hugs and kisses.

"So uh… Whatcha doing?" Jack asked as he rocked back and forth on the balls of his feet.

Jacob smiled as he stepped forward and reached for something out of his pocket. "Welcome Home you two."

The newly-weds looked at each other as Jack took the set of keys from Jacob's outstretched hand. Jack then reached over for Sam's hand and began the short walk to the front door. They stood in front of the door and Jack unlocked the door. He didn't quite open it as he looked back at the crowd standing behind them.

He took one last look at Sam before he got an idea. "You remember how I said I was old-fashioned?"

Sam nodded slowly.

"Good!" Jack then bent over, slipped his one hand behind her knees and the other behind her back and scooped her up. "Welcome home, Sam," he told her gently before he kissed her.

"You don't have to do this," Sam told him, concerned for his knees and back.

"I'm old fashioned remember… I'm supposed to carry you over the threshold of our new home," he then kicked the door open and turned to sidestep in, "even if it is emp-… Whoa!"

Sam saw what he saw and was equally amazed, "Oh my God!"

Jack stood there speechless looking around at what he could just from the entryway.

"Jack," she whispered.

No response.

"Jack! You can put me down," she teased him as she finally gained his attention.

"What?" he looked at her completely startled. He then processed what she had said, "Yeah, right," and lowered her feet to the ground.

Grasping each other's hands they walked into their house which had been completely furnished with things from their own homes and with new objects.

They reached the kitchen and finally noted their entourage who had been following them silently.

"You guys… This is beautiful! Thank you all so much!" Sam told them as tears glistened in her eyes as she went to hug and thank each one of them once again. "Whose idea was this?" Sam asked.

Three individuals of the entourage looked directly at Jacob. By that point, Sam's tears were coming out in full force as she wrapped her arms around her father again.

"I love you so much Dad!" she whispered to him.

* * *

"Welcome back Sir, Sam!" Mike Reynolds greeted as he stood up from the General's desk and walked around to greet them. "Glad to have you back." 

Jack turned to Sam, "And here I was, hoping that he wouldn't mind taking over for another week."

Reynolds' eyes widened in fear, "You don't want to do that! I don't know how you put up with this job full time!" as he practically forced Jack into his rightful chair. "I don't know what I would have done without Sgt. Harriman.'

Jack perked up, "Isn't he the best?"

Mike nodded in agreement, "Yes he is… How you guys put up with Daniel though is beyond me."

Sam smiled, "Yeah, he told us about the energy readings emanating from the ziggurat on P5J-319."

He nodded, "They started to show up when they neared the base of the ziggurat. I'm sure Daniel told you, but we're just waiting for someone to figure out a way in."

"How far along is the unburying?" Jack asked as he looked up from the papers he had been rearranging on his desk.

Sam watched him fix his desk and found it amusing how someone who hated sitting behind a desk definitely had a system worked out.

"Quite far actually… With the helo and the new equipment that the Arrakeen's are providing, they've been able to clear out a quarter of the city."

"What!" they both exclaimed.

"I didn't believe it myself until I saw the UAV's telemetry… In another month, they'll have the entire city unburied… They're pretty excited as well."

"That's amazing… How are they surviving?" Sam asked out of curiosity.

"Daniel didn't tell you?" he asked in shock. "That's the most fascinating part of it all… In addition to the normal catching the humidity from the air type of thing, they have these suits that help them retain almost all of their body water. I think they only lose like a thimbleful every day!"

"But they weren't using those on Arrakis," Sam pointed out in amazement at the amazing feat of tailoring.

Mike nodded his head, "I know. They didn't need to there because they had underground springs they could tap into. And they are only using them now until we can get the ziggurat excavated. They've done some testing, and found that there is an underground river running under there. They're just waiting for help on opening up the place."

"Any thoughts on how to open it up?" Jack asked as he straightened up one last pile of papers.

"It appears to be a riddle… Something about two setting suns… Actually, their high council wanted to invite you there for a feast honoring your wedding and thanking us for moving them to that planet."

"Did they have a date in mind?"

Mike pointed at one of the pieces of papers on his desk, "At your earliest convenience."

O'Neill looked at his wife, "What's our schedule look like? Do we have any other parties with cake planned? They will have cake right?" he asked as he turned to Reynolds.

Sam rolled her eyes, "I'd actually like to go to P5J-319 as soon as possible and discuss those water suits and learn about their own technology."

"You know I don't appreciate your running off from me just when we get back," he told her as he began to unlock his drawer.

Sam once again shook her head and then turned to Reynolds. "What was I thinking?"

He smiled back at her, "And here we thought you were the smart one!"

They both looked back at Jack who was now rummaging around in his desk drawer.

Sam tilted her head to the door. Mike nodded his head back and allowed her to precede him out the door.

"We'll see you later, sir," Sam called out.

Jack was completely oblivious to their departure so intent was he on finding one of his most prized possessions.

"Aha!" he then pulled out the Duncan yo-yo that Sam had given him and held out for his guests to see.

But they weren't sitting in front of him. The only person he saw was Sgt. Harriman standing at his door waiting to come in.

Jack looked around his office, "Where'd they go?"

"Where'd who go, sir?"

Jack glared at the man at his door trying to determine if he was playing a joke on him.

"Nevermind… What have we got, Walter?"

TBC


	13. Discoveries

**Chapter 13 - Discoveries**

Sam stepped through the Stargate onto P5J-319 and greeted Major Williams of SG-4 on the other side.

"Major, how are things going?"

"Very well, ma'am. At the current rate, we'll have the city cleared out in three weeks."

They walked around the base of the Stargate and headed towards one of the entranceways on the back side of the Stargate. "That's what Colonel Reynolds said… So what do you know-"

"Colonel Carter!"

Sam and Major Williams turned around and saw Dr. Lee rapidly walk towards them from the other side of the gate.

The Major turned to his guest, "I'll let him explain."

She smiled, as she looked at the back of the Stargate as she waited for the research scientist to catch up with them. She noticed that unlike most Stargates, the ramp and base of this one was decorated with images and text of an unknown language.

"Colonel, I'm so glad you're here. We have a lot of fascinating things to show you!" he quickly ushered out as he continued to lead her into the excavated structure and show her his findings and what he had learned from the Arrakeen's thus far.

Sam let him walk by, "Good to see you too." She then caught up with Dr. Lee and left Major Williams to catch up on his own.

A few hours later Sam joined Daniel who was at the base of the now completely exposed Ziggurat.

"It's even bigger in person," she called out as she walked up behind him.

Daniel turned back rapidly at her voice and smiled, "Sam. Glad to see that Jack finally let you out!"

"Almost had to threaten him, but yeah… So what's it say Daniel?" she asked as she indicated the door.

"Well, I think it's some kind of riddle." He then stepped up to the door and started pointing to the symbols as he translated. " 'Within lies our greatest secret and power. Beware those who try to force their way in, for the doors will only open when the two suns are set.' But this planet only has one sun."

Sam studied the door and symbols. Below the words was a diagram of a setting sun among a set of hills. She walked up to the door and traced the symbol, "What about this?"

Daniel stepped up behind her, "Not sure, there's only one. But we thought that it may just be a matter of pushing it in, but it won't give. And there's isn't another one on the surface of the temple… You got any ideas?"

"Maybe…" She reached for her radio, "Williams, where are you?"

There was static as they waited for the response, "I'm in the command room. Something I can do for you Colonel?"

She activated the radio, "Yeah, can you go outside and look at the base of the Stargate?"

"What are you doing, Sam?" Daniel asked beside her.

"No problem, Colonel. One second."

"I think I saw one of these when I got here today," she explained.

"Okay, what am I looking for?" the radio squawked.

Sam looked at the entryway as she explained, "Is there a diagram of a setting sun at the back of the Stargate?"

There was a pause as they waited for the major to find something. "Yeah, and it looks like the one at the temple," he told them in amazement realizing what she had in mind.

Daniel was shocked as he looked at his team leader. "How did I miss that?"

Sam shrugged her shoulders. "Alright Major, here's what we're going to do. On my mark, we're going to press the sun into the rock."

"Yes ma'am."

They both positioned themselves in front of the carvings. "On my mark… Three. Two. One. Mark."

When they both initially pressed on the rock they felt a great amount of resistance. However after a second the sun began to give way and slide into the larger rock structure it was embedded in.

In the end each sun was pushed in until it was even with the rest of the rock wall. Sam took her hand off the stone and instinctively stood back. Shortly thereafter the door swung open into the temple.

"Anything?" the radio squawked.

Sam smiled as she lifted the radio to her mouth, "Oh yeah… Dial Earth and let them know we have opened the temple. Tell them to send a team to cover the gate and then head over here so we can find out what's inside."

"Yes, ma'am."

She turned to Daniel and smiled widely at him as she switched the radio frequency, "Teal'c."

"Colonel Carter?"

"We opened the temple, you want to head on over here?"

"I will be there shortly."

She nodded her head as she pulled out one of her energy readers. "The energy reading's we're getting are three times stronger, but it's still pretty weak. There must be some special property of this stone that shields energy readings."

Three hours later they were in the heart of the temple.

"Is that what I think it is?" Daniel asked in amazement.

There was a slight pause as they took in their surroundings. "It does appear to be."

SG-1 cautiously proceeded into the chamber looking around the abandoned room.

"We better get Jack down here," Daniel called out as he approached the structure in the center of the room.

Sam radioed Williams and told him what they had found and that they needed to relay a message onto Earth that the General's presence was required.

An hour later Jack finally walked into the chamber in question. "Hey campers! So what do we got?"

"Don't know yet, we were waiting for you to show up," Sam told him as she indicated the main structure in the room.

"And here I thought you just wanted to see me," he teased as he walked up to the chair on the elevated dais. "Here goes nothing," he said as he eased himself down into the chair.

Immediately the chair reclined and hidden lights in the chamber illuminated themselves.

"So what now?" he asked.

Sam looked down at her scanners, "Think about spare ZPM's," she tried.

Within seconds two ZPM's were raised from the ground around the platform.

"Anything?" Jack called out from his chair.

"Jackpot!" Daniel called out as he stepped towards one of the ZPM's.

* * *

"So what do you think we should do with them?" 

"Contact Atlantis," was her immediate reply.

Jack looked over at Sam as they headed back to the Stargate along with the two ZPM's they had discovered. "How do you think they are?"

She shrugged her shoulders, "Hopefully still alive… That's why they have to be our first priority. After we check the strength of these two ZPM's we should dial up Atlantis and send one of these through to them."

They continued in silence for several hundred meters.

"Could you imagine being separated from your family and friends for three years?"

"Three months was long enough for me."

Sam looked over at Jack and nodded. She then did something that she never did in public while they were in uniform, she took hold of his hand and reassured herself of how lucky they were.

"Yes it was. But I brought you home then, now didn't I?'

He smiled back at her, "You do have a tendency of bringing people back home… How did you figure that riddle out so soon? They've been staring at that thing for over a week and you needed only, what, five minutes?"

"Lucky, I guess," she humbly revealed.

He raised an eyebrow at her, "Since when are you lucky when it comes to getting things done on a mission?"

She laughed, "That's not what I meant… I guess I just saw the back of the Stargate and the door within a shorter span of each other and remembered what was there."

"Hmm…" They continued on chatting about their work as they headed back to the Stargate.

"Assuming that we successfully make contact with Atlantis, you're going to want to go, aren't you?"

She turned to him and smiled, "So will Daniel."

He raised an eyebrow, "Right… What say we all go?" He looked at Sam tentatively, not wanting to appear that he was underestimating her abilities.

She looked at her husband and commanding officer and smiled warmly at him, letting him know that she had no problem with the idea. "I think as head of the SGC, a trip to Atlantis is warranted."

"Sweet!"

* * *

"So, we all ready to go?" 

Sergeant Harriman looked over at Sam who continued to type into her console. He then cautiously looked back at his CO, and shrugged his shoulders.

"Colonel?"

Harriman studied the intent look on Sam's face and translated, "Just another minute, sir."

Jack nodded knowingly. He then leaned over to Walter, "You know, if Hammond were here, he would have gotten an answer."

Walter chuckled quietly knowing that the statement were true. 'The hazards of working with your wife who happens to be a whole hell of a lot smarter than you are,' he mused to himself.

"Okay. We're all set to go, sir," Sam told him as she finally turned to look at him.

Jack clapped his hands, "Okay, then… Let's dial 'er up!"

"Yes sir," Walter replied as he initiated the dialing sequence.

Everyone in the control room and those observing from the conference room watched the Stargate as the chevrons engaged. Only Sam's attention was split between the Stargate and the monitor with the ZPM energy flow on it.

"Chevron Seven locked…" Walter watched the inner track work its way around the Stargate as Earth's point of origin approached the apex of the Stargate. "Chevron Eight… Locked!" he called out excitedly as the wormhole formed, "Wormhole established!"

The control room erupted in cheers as they finally made first contact with those that had been sent to Atlantis almost three years earlier.

"ZPM energy output is decreasing after the initial surge…" Sam noted as she watched the monitor.

Jack stepped forward and nodded at Walter who opened up a radio channel with Atlantis. "Anyone home?"

Sam and Walter quickly looked up with questioning looks. No one had heard from Atlantis in over three years and that's the first thing he said?

There was a pause before the radio came to life. "General O'Neill?"

Cheers went up in the control room again after confirmed contact had been made.

"Elizabeth! So good to hear your voice! You never call!"

"Neither do you," was her quick response. "I have to say, it's really good to hear your voice. H-"

"I get that a lot," he interjected.

Sam swatted him in the arm, and mouthed to him, "Be somewhat serious!"

"How did you guys contact us?" she asked, ignoring his comment.

Jack smiled, "We found a little something on a planet near here… We're sending you a package, you want to open up your iris?"

"Door's open, sir."

"Standby to receive the package."

Once the MALP was sent through, Jack spoke to Atlantis once again, "Let me direct your attention to the container with a ribbon on it."

"What's in it?"

Jack smirked, "I don't want to ruin your surprise… But I have a feeling, you'll know what to do with it."

TBC

Post-Disclaimer: I do not own _Stargate Atlantis_ or any of it's characters. They're only going to be here every once in a while... I think...


	14. Exchange

Sorry. No excuse. It's been almost two years since I've posted anything to this story. No acceptable excuse. And what's worse... I have no more chapter's written for this story. I've sort of hit a roadblock on this story. But I'll probably wrap up this story in ten or so chapters to wrap up some few loose ends (at least one that I know about) and lay down a foundation for the final story in the _Disclosure_ arc that is currently under the running title of _Imminent Disclosure. _For that story I have near nothing written except a general idea and a few snippets. Sadly I have more (about 130 pages) for an offshoot of this story that will be a crossover between SG-1 and the new Battlestar Galactica, running title is _Long Way Home_.

I hope you enjoy this short return to the world I created from borrowed pieces of Stargate SG-1, Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan Novels, Frank Herbert's Dune, and Stargate Atlantis.

* * *

**14. Exchange**

"You have got to be kidding me!"

"Do I look like I'm joking?" Rodney McKay pointed at his face.

Major John Sheppard leaned over to his weapons expert, Lt. Aiden Ford, "We need to work on that…"

"Seriously, now. I really think that we need to-"

"Major Sheppard, Dr. McKay report to the control room immediately!"

All three men looked at one another briefly before heeding the urgent voice they heard over their comm units. When they rushed into the control room they heard their base commander, Dr. Elizabeth Weir, already engaged in a dialogue.

"…I have to say, it's really good to hear your voice. H-"

"I get that a lot," the voice on the radio replied.

The three new arrivals looked at each other oddly, unsure who Elizabeth was speaking with so casually. Sheppard called out to Grodin, "Who she talking to?"

The young man turned to him with a wide smile, "Earth. They've made contact with us!"

With the new knowledge in hand they turned their full attention to the conversation.

"… A little something on a planet near here… We're sending you a package, you want to open up your iris?"

Elizabeth turned to Grodin, "Raise the shield…Door's open, sir," she communicated to Earth.

"Standby to receive the package."

Liz turned to John and Rodney and could barely keep the excitement off her face, not that she was trying to. "Home," she mouthed to them.

"How did they contact us?" Rodney asked.

"We don't know," Liz shrugged. She honestly didn't care all that much, they had made contact with Earth.

"What are they sending through exactly? How long can they keep the connection open? Any chance they can send us some s-"

"Rodney!"

Rodney stopped mid-sentence and looked at John. "What?" he asked defensively.

"We don't know much," Liz clarified.

Once the MALP was sent through, Jack's voice came over the radio again, "Let me direct your attention to the container with a ribbon on it."

"What's in it?" she asked.

"I don't want to ruin your surprise… But I have a feeling you'll know what to do with it."

John looked down at the MALP and rushed down to retrieve the case. He bounded back up the stairs and set the metal case on one of the workstations. He looked around at his friends and coworkers before opening the case.

He was speechless as he opened the case and looked down at the prize. He looked back up at those in the room, finally settling on Liz's eyes.

"What is it?" she asked.

He smirked at them all, "Our ticket home…" He slowly reached into the case and withdrew a zero point module.

No one said anything as they all admired the small energy source that would possibly allow them to return to Earth.

"Did you guys get it?"

Liz blinked as she processed Jack's voice over the radio. Her response was barely above a whisper, "Yeah…"

"Carter says it's fully charged. Once you guys test it out and contact us, we'll remake contact and send a team with some supplies through… Any requests?"

Eight hours later the members of SG-1 were the first ones to travel to the Pegasus galaxy in the past four years.

They all stepped out into the Atlantis gate room together and were greeted by the lead members of the Atlantis expedition. Elizabeth smiled excitedly at their new guests while the military personnel stood at attention and greeted General O'Neill.

Jack snapped off a quick salute, "Elizabeth… So good to see you."

She approached him and shook his hand eagerly., "You have no idea how good it is to see you!"

The rest of SG-1 reintroduced themselves to the lead members of the Atlantis expedition; Major John Shepherd, Dr. Rodney McKay, Lt. Aiden Ford, Dr. Carson Beckett, Zelenka, Grodin, and others, including Teyla Amagman, an Athosian.

"So what have we got in this part of the universe?" Jack asked nonchalantly as they headed up the stairs.

Over the next three hours Dr. Weir and her people filled in Jack and his team on the highlights of the Atlantis Expedition since their arrival.

SG-1 learned of their various treaties and allies, including their close alliance with the Athosians, and also of their enemies, the Genii and more importantly, the Wraith. They explained some of the technology they had discovered, some that they were still working on, and included some of what they had learned of the fate of the Ancients, which did not amount to much.

Once the main briefing had concluded, they split off into smaller groups. Sam followed Rodney and Zelenka to the research area, Daniel joined Teyla to discuss some of the allies and local history, while Teal'c joined Aiden in an inventory of Atlantis' defenses.

Jack found himself alone with Weir and Sheppard in the conference room. "So how long?"

Liz and John looked at each other in confusion, "'How long', what?"

"How long you two been married?"

They were speechless as their mouths opened and closed searching for words that refused to voice themselves.

"Sir-"

"General-"

They both stopped and looked at each other briefly before looking back to Jack.

Jack raised his hand, "Just one question, and please be honest, has it affected the way you run this expedition and how you interact with the other personnel?"

There was a pause before either of them spoke. "General, I'm a civilian and therefore-"

"No sir."

Elizabeth looked at John questioningly. John ignored her gaze and focused on Jack whom he suspected understood their situation better than they anticipated.

Jack nodded his head satisfactorily, "Okay… So what have you guys got to eat around here?" Jack turned around and made to move out.

John began to follow him but was stopped by Elizabeth's outstretched hand, "What just happened?"

He shrugged his shoulders in response, "Don't know… but I think he understands."

Jack stopped and headed back to the couple. "There've been a few changes over the past few years. Both in the government and in the way the SGC is run… A little over a year ago we got into a shooting match with Japan… It was short and we won… But…"

"But, what?" Liz demanded to know.

"The United States government suffered the worst imaginable tragedy… A rogue Japanese pilot flew a 747 into the Capitol Building during a Joint Session of Congress."

Elizabeth's one hand flew to her mouth in shock while her other reached out to John for support.

"I know you were friends Elizabeth, but President Durling died in the attack… As did most of the members of Congress, the Joint Chiefs, the Cabinet, the Supreme Court, and a lot of other innocent people."

"How could…?"

Jack shrugged his shoulders, "Fanatics will do anything for what they believe in…"

"What happened, sir?"

Jack nodded understanding the question to be how the country was able to put itself back together after such a horrific tragedy where the head of the nation had been removed.

"Jack Ryan became President of the United States."

Elizabeth was shocked to hear the name, "The Deputy Director of the CIA?"

"Formerly… After a two year retirement he was asked by President Durling to be the NSA, and then eventually to be Vice President after that Keating guy resigned… Jack was being sworn in when the plane struck."

There was a heavy silence as they processed the information.

Elizabeth shook her head in amazement, "He rebuilt the entire U.S. Government? From scratch?"

Jack smiled proudly of his friend, "Essentially… Jack's a real smart guy."

"You know him?" she asked in surprise.

He smiled, "I go way back with him and his wife… A few months ago the President visited the SGC. After he left, he made some decisions concerning the SGC. The rules against fraternization no longer apply to the SGC and related front line contingencies… He knows that we know what all is at stake and that we won't compromise the fate of the planet or each other because of our feelings for one another… So as long as we get the job done and it doesn't cause any problems, and a superior officer clears it… Well, needless to say, we've taken advantage of the rule change and it hasn't affected our jobs."

"But we're not both bound by the same regulations… As a civilian I have to maintain-"

"Elizabeth," Jack called out. "Just accept the situation for what it is and be thankful… I know I am."

She quirked an eyebrow at him, "General?"

He smiled, "Carter and I."

She blinked rapidly, "Really?" He shook his head knowingly. "Actually, I'm not all that surprised after her blackmailing me while you were down in Antarctica."

"Yes well… She can be very stubborn."

Elizabeth smiled at him, "Really? I'd heard the same thing about you." She then walked past the two military men

Jack tried to act offended as his hand landed on his chest. "Who'd you hear that from?" he called out.

**TBC **(but not for a while...)


End file.
